


Pharaoh's Fate: Journey of Memories; Fateful Conclusion

by KiaraDiMari



Series: Pharaoh's Fate [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Romance, Sexual Tension, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-06 20:02:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 86,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18858103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiaraDiMari/pseuds/KiaraDiMari
Summary: The fifth and final part of the Pharaoh's Fate series. Yami finally returns to Egypt where his story began. He will face the undeniable truth, play his final game, and make the ultimate choice. Join the Pharaoh as Fate calls him home. This story crosses with the characters of Kiara DiMari's Eudorian Chronicles-This series is officially complete





	1. The Dark One Returns

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Welcome back to the continuation of the Pharaoh's Fate series. This is the final story in this new tale of the classic story. I want to thank so many people. All those who helped me bring Atem and Aurora together to create this story of theirs, and indirectly also helped to bring birth to my novel series in which began publication in 2007, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will tell you all this: Because of things that happened, the Spellbound series Atem and Aurora became the inspiration for came to an abrupt end right after the first book was published. Book 2 was nearly completely lost. However, their inspiration was not. You will find Aurora and her friends in the new series currently in process and to be released in 2021 titled "The Eudorian Chronicles". You can find the link to the facebook page and the link to the message forum and Deviant Art Page regarding the Eudorian Chronicles on my profile page.
> 
> I am attempting to bring out every aspect that was missed in Part 1: The Beginning within this part so there will be moments in which things are explained that were not previously done. There will be added scenes, of course, as select pairings get a few more moments that were not there before. Some characters will be exploring more than they ever thought (and a father might become more than a little agitated, lol ). But I only say this to prepare for laughter and tears. This is the most dramatic sect of this story and so many chapters might not be posted right away as I want to make sure they are as close to perfect as possible to deliver everything I am trying to deliver to you.
> 
> This all said, welcome to Pharaoh's Fate Part 5: Journey of Memories; Fateful Conclusion. I do hope that you enjoy it and the surprises that it has in store. I do not own YGO or its characters, I just enjoy bending them to my will. I do own the rights to Aurora and her friends (all non YGO characters in this series), so I can claim anything and everything regarding them. Now, I have droned on long enough, onward to the final chapter...

* * *

 

Zahara moaned and stirred from her sleep as she realized she was alone in her bed. It was still strange to her to be so familiar to that warmth, even more because of whom that warmth belonged to. With her mother and sister away, Zahara had taken it upon herself to remain near Ryou. She never forgot the darker spirit that made use of his body as a vessel. Even though Ryou no longer was in possession of the Millennium Ring, there was still a fear that the Dark One would find a way to return. Sitting up in her bed, she cast her gaze around her room.

"Ryou?"

She dared to call out his name in a voice that was barely above a whisper. She did not receive a response right away, but she finally caught movement from the sill of her window. Ryou's white-blond hair shimmered in the moonlight as he turned and cast a lost look in her direction.

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, it was just something that filtered through to my dreams. It startled me," she explained as she pulled back the covers and slipped on a thin robe before climbing out of bed and making her way to him. She sat down beside him and tipped her head to get a closer look at him. "Are you alright, Ryou?"

"I wish I could say that I was," he told her somberly. "Honestly, I am not sure."

"Tell me..."

Ryou looked at her, the lost look in his eyes traded for terror. "I can hear him, Zahara. I can hear him in my mind. He's angry. He's wanting back. He's ready for the end all."

Zahara took a moment to take in his words.  _He is ready for the end..._  "You think he found a way back even without the Ring?"

"He always does... But this is different from before. It's like sheer will alone is pulling him back..."

"Possibly," she agreed softly. "The way I hear it, my mother is preparing to follow my brother back to Egypt here really soon. I assumed he would find a way to follow."

"I really wish you hadn't said that..."

"Ryou?" Zahara blinked and looked closer as his head dropped. "Please tell me you just went back to sleep while sitting up..." she muttered under her breath as she reached out to gently touch his shoulder. She gasped and hissed when his hand came up and captured her wrist.

"You could only pray to be so lucky, Precious."

"Damn..." Zahara did not even bother to try to pull back from him. Especially when she realized he had not begun to try to pull her closer to him. This fact alone confused her considering the last time they interacted. She knew he could not have forgotten.

"You are correct, Precious, I have not forgotten. But fortunately for you, I have more important matters to tend to. And those matters start tonight." He chuckled at the soft growl under her breath. "Has no one told you how sexy your growl is?"

That remark caused her to sit back abruptly which he graciously allowed her to do by releasing his grip on her. She watched him as he stood and stretched. She remained still as stone when he leaned close to her, the tip of his nose ghosting the tip of hers, his finger curled lightly under her chin.

"Don't look so insulted, my dear. That is one of the highest compliments you could receive, considering what I have learned over this time locked in the back of this vessel's mind. I see things he does not."

"Is that so?"

He grinned almost sadistically. "You really want to play that game, do you? Very well..." He leaned in closer still, holding her closely against him, his breath warm on her ear. "I happen to know that you would prefer things a little rougher from time to time... A little hair pulling, neck biting, nails dragging..."

"Stop." Zahara swallowed hard. Not in disgust, but in slight surprise in how she found her body reacting to his words. She had not realized how deep within her head he really was.  She swallowed back her whimper and prayed that he would remain where he was so he could not see her face.

He purred triumphantly. "There is no shame in it, Precious. It's common nature."  He pulled back then and gazed directly into her eyes.  "A woman likes a little of both, and quite frankly, you have to admit with Ryou here, you can easily have the best of both worlds. Soft, sweet and tender with him;  dark, mysterious, and dominant with me."

Zahara gave him a shove, the force of the action somehow backfiring as she felt herself falling off the couch. She looked up at him from her place on the floor, but to her surprise, he made no move toward her. He merely stood and turned to watch her a moment. "What do you want, Bakura?"

There was a flicker of something in his eyes that she did not quite understand, but in a blink that flicker was gone. He shook his head. "Something you can't give me. You can lead me to, but you cannot give me."

"I'll take you nowhere."

"I did not say you would take me. I merely said that you would lead me to it. Time will show you on that. For now, I have things I must take care of before my vacation."

"Vacation?"

"Back in time, of course. Next we meet, you'll be so much younger."  He flashed her a knowing grin.

Zahara took a moment to ponder whether she should be offended by that remark or not, but it was a moment too long. Within a breath, Bakura had vaulted over the couch, lifted the window and dropped over the sill with barely a sound. She let another curse go under her breath, stood and cast a simple glamour spell to change her nightgown and robe into a pair of skinny jeans that had a strip of lace stitched into the seam along each leg, a white, off-shoulder top, and a pair of brown, suede, heeled boots. With a deep breath, she vaulted over her window sill and landed cat-like in the grass.

"Let the chase begin," she muttered as she began to follow after him in the dark. She could hear Ryou's scared voice shouting in the distance. "Keep talking, hun. I'll be there soon.

She watched the lights flicker around her as she ran. The screams had stopped which had her highly concerned. She froze at the sound of a large pipe organ that struck eerie notes at maximum volume. The tinkering of shattered glass followed and she found herself at a stop in front of an old church. She approached the door, knowing that it was not her brightest move to go after him alone, but she was not about to leave Ryou at this time of need. She entered about the time, the Dark One roared with laughter.

"You thought you could fight me? I am more powerful than you could even attempt to imagine. And now that I am back, the darkest Shadow Game in history will now begin!"

"You're forgetting something, Bakura."

He spun to face her. "So you did find me. Somehow I knew you would. What could I possibly be forgetting?"

"You need all eight Millennium Items in order to exact your revenge."

"I have not forgotten. I even know exactly how to go about getting them, too."

"You are really going to go about this?"

"The Pharaoh and his people owe me this Power... My greatest vengeance..." He turned to look at her more squarely. "You can't tell me that you don't understand."

"What do you mean?"

"You lost your father due to the evil that surrounded him.  You have felt the kind of pain that evil can create within a person.  You have seen what that kind of pain can do to a person.  Your mother has suffered greatly all these years because of it.  Even she couldn't protect you kids and your father from it.  And believe me, she tried.  She gave it a good run and even impressed me and the Great Evil himself.  But here is what you don't know. Because of the evil that surrounded your father, I lost my whole village, my friends, my family... All slaughtered by your father's people. And eventually, that evil overtook him and forced him away from you. The difference in this matchup is that you at least will be able to see your father, even in spirit. I will never again see my loved ones.  They are lost to me forever.  I have lost everything, and I will never again have what you have, what you have the ability to have."

Zahara stopped herself from speaking as his words sank in. She realized Bakura had never really been born evil, it was what he became after the slaughter of his people. She could not honestly tell herself that she could not see herself doing the same had she been in his shoes. She did not flinch this time when she felt him near enough to her that his fingertips grazed over her hips from behind.

"You are realizing it now, aren't you?" His voice was as smug as the kitten who had stolen the cream. "Do not make excuses for me, Precious. I make no excuses for what I do." His lips grazed over the velvet skin of her neck and she moaned softly before she could stop herself. She felt his chuckle against her skin. She cursed herself as she felt her body react to his touch. A shiver rippled through her as his fingers ghosted over her stomach in a satin touch. The excitement that coursed through her made her both angry, and wanting more. Her head fell back against his shoulder and she felt the faintest touch of his teeth against her neck. "Princess, tell me I am wrong," his voice coaxed her.  "He won't hear you, it's just you and me right now.  Tell me that you are not even the slightest bit curious about this darkness..." His voice was a contented purr near her ear once again.

"Bakura..." She whispered his name, not trusting her voice to be as strong as she wished it to be. It was almost as if her body had a mind of its own and it had overrun every warning she sent to it. She felt her lips begin to tingle with anticipation.  Her chest felt heavy as she tried to breathe.  She closed her eyes and her hand reached up to thread her fingers in his hair. She turned her head as she felt his lips create a trial of fire from her neck to her jawline so their lips could meet.

The kiss was searingly intense, more than she ever could have imagined. Her body turned to be flush against his. They moved in unison until her back struck a nearby pillar. Her hands reached around his waist, sliding into the back pockets of his jeans and earning an amused chuckle from him as he continued to kiss her, his tongue caressing hers hungrily. He reached around to take her hands from his pockets and pinned them above her head against the pillar.

"Uh-uh," he murmured, his voice husky with bare control.

It was taking everything he had to keep from ravishing her right then and there. He could not afford to lose control no matter how badly he wished it. He still had things to get done, and she had merely become a distraction at this point. Even more so when he felt her body slide against his and he realized how badly he really wanted to follow through. Quickly, he brought a hand down to pin her hips against the pillar as well, earning a quiet whimper that made him grin.

Never in the centuries he had been within that cursed Ring had he ever thought the Pharaoh's daughter would be in his grasp. Of course, it never occurred to him how badly he would come to desire her either. A part of him fought against his every urge to return to his search for the Items. A part of him only wanted to remain there with her, listening to her whimper his name and feel her fingers across his skin. He made a mental note to make sure he captured just such a moment as he forced himself to break the kiss. Breathing heavily, he pressed his forehead against hers.

" 'Kura?"

The use of the nickname caught him off guard and his body shuddered. He never would have thought that he would melt under the sound of such a nickname. The way that she said his name shook him to the very core and he suddenly found himself just cradling her. Something inside him twisted at that very moment.

_I can't do this..._

Zahara blinked and gingerly wrapped her arms around him at first, slowly increasing the pressure to become a full out hug. Part of her realized he had not meant for her to hear that thought. She shifted her head to give a very faint kiss. That kiss was enough to open a connection neither one had intended to open between their minds and they both gasped and pulled away from each other. Once more Zahara found herself on the floor, her fingers touching her lips. Her breaths came as gasps and her lapis blue eyes were wide.

Slowly she looked up to find Bakura slightly hunched over, one arm braced against another pillar, the back of his other hand against his mouth. Small beads of sweat glistened his brow as he tried to catch his breath. He turned and stared at her in shock for a moment before he recovered his wits and straightened.  His eyes flashed red with his anger.

"I don't know what that was about, Princess... But I do know that I can't allow it to happen again. So hate to kiss and run... Really hate to kiss and run... But the Millennium Items are calling for me..."

Without another word, he turned and fled the church leaving Zahara by herself in the dark, lost in the confusion in her mind. She had heard of such connections between two people before. It allowed them to catch a glimpse into the other person's mind and see more into their thoughts. That brief connection told her more than she ever could have imagined.  She knew more of the thief's thoughts and confusions than she ever would have thought.  She suddenly realized just how long he had been hiding behind his seductions of her.  What each moment of his seduction had done to him.  She knew more of his feelings that came about during Battle city.  She felt his fear of what would happen during the next Shadow Game.  And as much as it scared her, a part of her realized that she returned his feelings with almost just as much power and he was now aware of them.

The Dark One had returned.  But this time, he revealed a clue to unravel him that not even he had considered before. He had found something worth hanging on to.  Something that could very well save him.  If he wanted to be saved.  He was just afraid as she was.  This knowledge had the potential to be her undoing.

He was afraid in the end, she would be taken from him by that which he served.

_Zorc._

 


	2. Challenge Accepted

* * *

 

Zahara slowly stood, propping herself against a wooden beam with her forearm before turning to lean her back against a nearby pillar. Tilting her head back against the beam, she closed her eyes. She could still feel the pressure of his lips against hers. She could still feel the warmth of his body. She cursed her weakened breath and the way she continued to crave more of him. She knew she cared for Ryou, but she whimpered in the realization that the Thief had been correct. There was a part of her that desired what only he could bring. Remaining with Ryou as the Thief had suggested, she could have the best of both worlds. However, in that one instant they kissed, she also knew there was a part to the Thief that told her he was both all in his own right and he did not need Ryou to give her all that she desired and more, well except that he was still just a spirit who needed a vessel to survive. Raking her fingers through her long blonde hair, she hit the pillar with the fist of her other hand. Things that had once been so easy to understand had suddenly become very complicated.

"Get a grip on yourself, Zahara," she muttered before taking a deep breath. "He is the enemy of your father. He also faces the same fate as your father. There is no way around it. So you just cannot... Absolutely  _cannot_  allow yourself to continue these feelings... You  _have_ to forgo this and keep to what you are supposed to be doing..." Her eyes snapped open and she suddenly felt the race of adrenaline course through her.

"He is after the Items!"

With no more thought, she fled the church and opened up all her senses, actively seeking out his presence. It did not take her long to catch the Power of the Millennium Ring as it activated. She rounded another corner and came to a stop in the shadows when she heard voices.

"You better not be after those God Cards!"

Bakura laughed wickedly. "I have already taken what I have come looking for."

There was a brilliant light from the Ring and the two boys in front of him let out shouts of surprise. Zahara stepped out of the shadows when all went quiet and she stared down at the bodies of the two boys she remembered as Rex and Weevil. She opened her mouth to speak when a new voice made her silence herself.

"Ryou? Is that you?"

Zahara cast a glance over her shoulder as Yugi approached cautiously. Bakura laughed again and cocked his head to the side at them both. He did not have to advance on them at all. She did notice that he was careful to avoid looking in her direction. But his amused chuckle did nothing to cease the argument within her again as he responded to Yugi's question.

"Guess again."

There was a clash of thunder above them that made Zahara hug herself as she watched the exchange between Yugi and the Thief. Yugi stared at the Dark Bakura for a moment before looking back down at Rex and Weevil laying motionless on the ground between them.

"You are his Darkness... What have you done to them?"

"I did nothing that wasn't already deserved. They had something that didn't belong to them." He scoffed. "The whole world knows that you have those god cards It is not surprising that people like them would try to steal them. It is your mission to protect those gods, is it not? You really should be more thankful that I stepped in to make sure they didn't get lost yet again." He stooped low enough to pick up the duffle bag that had fallen at his feet and tossed it at Yugi. "You really should be more careful."

Yugi looked into the bag, pulling his Puzzle from it. Zahara breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of it. At least she knew her father's spirit was safe from the thief. She watched Yugi's gaze become one of relief as well when he saw the god cards were safe.

"You will find I did keep one item for myself," Bakura told him with a sly grin. Both pairs of eyes looked up at him as the Ring gleamed from his neck. "Mind you, I am merely borrowing this from you for now. When your Pharaoh regains his memory, he will need all of the Millennium Items. When that time comes, I will return this to him."

"How can I trust you? How do I know that you are not going to use it in some plot to destroy the world?"

"So you believe that I have a different goal in mind." Bakura did not even appear insulted. "You forget, Yugi, that I still retain memories that your Pharaoh has forgotten. When the Items are returned to the Pharaoh's tablet, they will connect your world to the world of the underworld. The door will open. As a vessel, you should know the significance of that door opening."

Yugi looked down at the puzzle. "Will the Pharaoh be set free?"

Bakura clicked his tongue and gave a thumbs up. "Now you are catching on. You can't be telling me that you do not want to help your other self be free after all the years that he has been trapped in that puzzle."

Yugi bowed his head again. "I do know that he has been trapped there. I know that he must return to the Underworld and to the family he left when he was sealed in the Puzzle. I know that he can't do it alone so I know I have to help him."

"Well said," Bakura praised. "And if that is your mission, I am here to lend a hand for you at any time." His smiled faded briefly at a shock of light that made even Zahara flinch. When the light faded, Yami stood facing the thief with anger in his eyes.

"That is enough, Bakura! Just what is it you think you are trying to do."

"And the king has arrived! Awe, Pharaoh, are you really that concerned that your other self will be cheated? And I thought you might be joining us in order to bury the hatchet."

"You know better than that. Now answer me."

"Such hatred. But I take no offense. I understand the hatred. Don't you see it, Pharaoh? You and I are more alike than you care to admit."

"You and I are  _nothing_  alike!"

"Come off it, Pharaoh. Think about it. We are both ancient spirits inhabiting the body of a civilian. Three thousand years ago, our souls were both trapped to await our final game."

"Just who are you, Bakura?"

The thief cocked his head in a mock "I don't know" fashion. "Seems I have forgotten," he lied.  "But I am sure that it is buried somewhere in your memory."

"Bakura!"

"Oh, Pharaoh, it is time for our ultimate Dark Game. The stage is even perfectly set for us, in the world of your memory."

"My... Memory?"

"You are absolutely clueless about yourself. There is an unsolvable maze within your mind and you pursue games like riddles. Yet if you could recall just one particular game, the riddle of your memory would be solved. Your life is nothing more than a puzzle wrapped in a game. And I am the only one who knows the solution. Which is ironic considering that you are the one who started this game."

"I started this?"

Bakura nodded. "So let us finish it, shall we?"

Yami was quiet for a moment. "I am not sure that you are being forthright with me, Bakura. But I will do whatever it takes to unlock what is trapped within my memory. So I accept your challenge. We will finish this game."

"Honorable that you accept, but it isn't necessary. When the door to your memory opens, the game will begin. This is one game I am really looking forward to," Bakura added as he turned to walk away.

The thundered clapped overhead and Zahara sighed, looked down, and hugged herself as the rain began to pour down. Yami turned and noticed her for the first time since he appeared. He stepped closer to her and pulled her close.

"You are freezing."

"I'm okay," she told him, though she found herself leaning into his warmth. Tilting her head, she looked up into his eyes. "Are you ready for this? It is not going to be easy..."

"You see things like your mother, don't you?" His mouth pressed into a grim line as she nodded slightly. "I understand that this is not going to be easy. But I have to do this. Not knowing has been so much harder than anything. Feeling disconnected from those I used to be connected to cuts deep into my soul. I have to unlock everything. I have to go where I am supposed to be."

"Father..."

"Yes, Za'ra?"

Even in her fearful state, she managed to smile at the nickname. It was short-lived as she came back to her train of thought. "I'm afraid... I'm afraid of this whole thing."

"I know. As am I. But we will all be together and be able to figure this all out. We will be able to be a complete family again."

Zahara opened her mouth to continue their conversation with she was struck by a sudden streak of pain in her head. Her eyes snapped open with a bright glowing light to them as her body went rigid in her father's arms.

"Zahara?" Yami, brushed her hair away from her face and eased her to the ground, trying to use himself as a shield against the rain. "Zahara, talk to me, what's wrong?" Soft whimpers could be heard from her as she tried to fight the onslaught of visions. All he could do was hold her as her nails bit into his arm.

"No!" Zahara screamed out as the light finally cleared from her sight and she drew her first breath since it began. She felt the urge to fight and began to struggle within her father's grasp.

"Wait, Zahara, what is going on?"

"Something has happened to my sister!"

"What do you mean?"

"Our connection has been cut off..."

Yami helped her to stand and, keeping an arm around her, turned toward the street. "Let's get you to your mother. Maybe she will be able to explain what happened..."

" _This is just the beginning...time for all of the pawns to fall into place..._ "  Zahara whispered as if remembering something that had been prophesized. 

"What do you mean?" Yami stopped and looked down at her.

"I don't know... That was what I was told in the vision..." She looked up at him. "The game has begun, but the stakes might be higher than we originally thought..."

* * *

Sanura curled up on the couch with Mokuba, stroking his hair tenderly as he softly snored. The movie they had been watching while waiting for Seto to come out of his office had long since ended and she found herself just staring out the window watching the rainfall. A lot of things had changed in her life in such a short time that she was still left slightly confused and out of focus. Things between her and Seto were a whirlwind. Their romance quiet enough no one even suspected. Except for Mokuba who managed to figure it out without trying.

She smiled as she remembered the moment Mokuba put it all together. He had been so happy that Seto even seemed surprised. But it made their meetings even more memorable for her. As tough as he was, she was finally seeing a side to him that not many could ever claim they saw.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back and could almost feel Seto's lips on hers again. She found herself almost craving the taste, but she knew he was caught up in his newest venture and would not appreciate being paged in the middle of the night for something such as that. Still...

Sanura had just reached for her phone when the lights flickered and the energy in the room changed. She frowned and looked around, her arms protectively circling around Mokuba. She growled softly when she took sight of the shadow that was forming shape in the middle of the room.

"You are not supposed to be here," she warned, her voice low and forceful.  "You need to leave now."

"You really are a lot like your father, by way of commanding, you know."

Sanura glared as Bakura came into view. "I should have known it would be you, Thief. What business do you have here?"

"Oddly enough, I have business with the young one in your arms."

She shook her head. "No way, not happening."

"You don't have a say in this one, Princess." Bakura lifted his hand and a stream of black shadows struck out from around him.

Sanura cried out and lifted an arm to shield herself, a bright light blocking his initial attack. She watched Bakura frown and cock his head at her.

"So you are going to make this a bit more difficult, aren't you?"

"I told you that you won't take him. You have to go through me first."

"Since when did you become his charge?" He watched her as she remained silent and suddenly he chuckled. "Now I am amused even further. Who would have thought the ancestor to your father's predecessor would be matched with the Princess of his greatest opponent?"

"I mean it, Bakura," she warned again, her eyes flashed with a veiled threat.  "Leave this place,  _now._ "

"Not without what I came for. But if I must go through you, then so be it."

His next attack struck in multiple directions and Sanura had been unprepared to defend. She curled over Mokuba and closed her eyes as the dark energy struck them. She made one last attempt to reach out to anyone in her family who could feel her telepathic 9-1-1 and felt her mind surrender to the shadows.

_I'm sorry I failed you, Seto..._

Bakura shook his head. "Didn't want to take you, Princess... You left me with no choice. Now phase two can begin, off to entice Kaiba to join our Ultimate Dark Game..."

* * *

 


	3. Memory World Awakens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, a head's up as with all parts to this series, not everything I write is going to come directly from the anime or the manga. Obviously some changes have to be made. Case in point, the anime brings the Pharaoh back to his memory back when he is first taking his place as king. This story, however, will not. So be prepared for select changes. It will bounce and cover key points that were glanced over in Part 1. There are a lot of things that I have to cover, and I want to get as extensive as possible. I want to cover more ground than before and hopefully make more sense of some things.

* * *

 

Aurora groaned and rolled to look at her clock at the pounding on her door. Her eyes blinked the sleep away and she sighed when she saw the clock read two in the morning. The pounding struck her door again and she climbed out of bed, throwing her long robe over her lounge pants and tank top. She did not care that she looked like she had been struck by a mack truck. She just wanted the pounding to stop.

"Who the hell is visiting this time of night?" Saphira groaned as she exited her room as well. Together they made their way to the door and Saphira opened it, her eyes snapping wide awake when she recognized one of Seto's men standing on the other side.

"Which one of you is Miss. Aurora Kornari?" The man asked bluntly.

"That would be me," Aurora answered running her fingers through her hair, trying to brush it out of her face. "What is troubling Mr. Kaiba to send you out here this late at night?"

Before the question could be answered, all eyes turned toward the drive where a taxi had arrived. Yami and Zahara climbed out and made their way to the door. Aurora's eyebrow arched at pajama-clad Yami, but she said nothing as Zahara reached her.

"Mother, there is something wrong with Sanura. I can't sense her presence anymore."

Aurora frowned and placed her hands on Zahara's shoulders trying to get her daughter to calm down and look her in the eye. "Zahara, calm down, what is going on? What do you mean?"

Zahara gulped and took a deep breath. "I was outside, taking a walk when I ran into Father. We were talking when all of a sudden it was as if someone had taken a knife and severed my connection with Sanura. I can't sense her, it's as if she isn't even on this realm of existence"

"You know, to anyone other than us, that would have sounded a lot like the plot of a sci-fi movie," Braedon quipped as he entered the room. "But because it  _is_  us..."

"Shadow magic..." Saphira said softly. "Damn..."

Aurora looked up at Seto's man at her door. "Am I correct to assume that your presence is regarding his assistant, Sanura Kornari ?"

"Yes ma'am. Mr Kaiba requested your presence right after receiving a video message in his office. He was grabbing his briefcase as I was leaving to retrieve you."

"One moment please." She shut the door after ushering Yami and Zahara inside and with a breath and a glimmer, she had lost her night clothes and appeared dressed in jeans and white peasant blouse that ruffled around her hips. Heeled ankle boots covered her feet and her hair and make-up seemed perfectly done. She glanced around to see her friends had all changed as well.

"I really should find a way to learn that trick," Yami commented idly. Draxon grinned as he appeared with a set of clothes for him to wear. "Thank you."

Aurora opened the door again after Yami had returned with his borrowed clothes and faced Seto's driver. "We are ready to join your boss now."

He nodded and stepped out of the way, walking to the limo to open the back door so they could all climb in. Aurora watched as Yami tried to comfort Zahara while she tried desperately to reconnect the severed bond with her sister. She sighed and turned to stare out the window.

_You must know that Bakura has returned. It is possible that he is behind this._

Aurora nodded slightly as she turned her gaze back to Yami. Her eyes traveled to Zahara and then back to him as she used her own telepathic voice to respond.

 _I was afraid of that. It would make sense. There are few who could manage magic of any kind that would be strong enough to affect our family like this. But he would be one, especially if he has his complete memory... Or even part of his memory enough to remember such facts._ She grew thoughtful a moment before she added,  _Are you ready for this?_

Yami nodded.  _It is time. It is not just a matter of want now, it is a matter of need. It is time to finish what was started centuries ago and bring our family home united once more._

The limo pulled up to Kaiba Corp just as the sun was starting to rise. They all quickly made their way into the building and toward the elevator.

"Which floor?" Saphira asked as she stared at the buttons.

"Rooftop..."

No one questioned Aurora's answer and the button was pressed and the doors closed behind them. The silence was their partner as the floor beneath them climbed higher and higher. When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, they were all greeted with a brilliant flash of light that made them all bring their arms up to shield their eyes. When it was over, they opened their eyes to see Seto alone, staring down at his hand in disbelief. His fingers closed tightly around the object in his hand and he brought it to his chest as if making a silent vow.

"Where...?" Saphira's question was lost as they all looked around for a trace of Sanura and Mokuba.

"She never leaves his side..." Zahara murmured, her voice shaky.

Seto looked up when he heard the heels of Aurora's boots clicking along the rooftop. They stood and stared at each other for a moment. Both keeping silent the questions that flowed between them. The group could see a startled shock flash across Seto's face and his mouth opened soundlessly.

"How did you...?"

"Speak without speaking?" Aurora finished his question. "It is a slight technique I have that comes in handy. It's also one only a select few can hear. This tells me certain mental blocks within yourself have been broken down. You must be able to see that there are forces beyond your reality at work here. I will ask again: What business did Bakura hold here today, Mr. Kaiba?"

"He has my brother... And Sanura."

"What does he want for them?"

"Me... To be in Egypt to learn something about my connection to it."

"A connection that even now you would sooner deny than accept."

He looked down at his hand and opened it again to reveal the Millennium Eye. "He said this was my invitation to the Dark Game... That the answers I seek can only be found in the sands of Egypt."

"More accurately, the ancient sands of Egypt," Aurora corrected softly. "Only there can we all find our answers, and our freedom... And now it appears it is the only way to save those we love." Aurora looked up at him again. "What was your decision? Will you go?"

"I have no interest in solving riddles. I only want my brother and Sanura back. I should have been home.  Because I was not, I could not protect them as I promised that I would.  Now, I must find a way to bring them back."

"We leave in just a few hours. If you wish you can travel with us."

"No." Seto snapped his arm back toward his side. "I have to get a few things gathered together first. I have to figure a few things out. If I choose to go, I will go on my own. This is my fight."

Yami opened his mouth to argue the point when Aurora coughed pointedly and shook her head. "Mr. Kaiba, Bakura is not entirely incorrect in his words. He was wrong in his approach, but not wrong about your answers. You have but one choice if you wish to see them again. The same choice Yugi and I have. We have to follow him to Egypt and play his game. And we have to win it."

No other word was spoken as Aurora turned, a hard look on her face, and made her way back to the elevator. The others all filed in after her and took the ride back to the first floor. Aurora reached out to the limo driver and asked him to take them to the airport. He obliged and in a short time, they all were at the counter, getting their tickets for the flight. Everyone remained quiet as they thought about what they would be facing and how the end would affect them.

* * *

Aurora distanced herself from everyone on the plane as she tried to gather her thoughts. She knew the situation was about to go from bad to worse and she knew she had to figure out just what Bakura was planning so she could try to get her daughter back. She took notice of Saphira staring intently out the window. Mokuba was her grandson after all. She was just as worried if not more so than Seto had been. Just like Aurora, she was trying to keep her emotions in check. They both knew the upcoming venture was going to be difficult. They were going to be going back to a time they had not been in several centuries. They were going to be confronted with memories long forgotten. They did not know if they would be facing mirrors of themselves from their past, or if they would be tossed into their past selves.

She started when she felt a hand brush over hers. Drawing a breath, she turned and breathed easier when she realized Yami had taken a seat beside her. She felt her body begin to sink a bit more comfortably into her seat.

"We will get her back," Yami promised her softly. "I don't know how, but we will."

"I know we will," she answered softly. "Just a matter of learning where he has her and why..."

"To guarantee we all come to him. That would be his only reason why."

She nodded. "Agreed. And we are all going to him now." She turned to look at him. "Are you ready?"

"As I can be. I have the Items and my deck. Just need to face the tablet again."

"You realize that you will be going back to your memory? That things will be different for you and I there? That our children will be much younger... And your new friends may not be able to return to your memory with you as they had no physical form at that time?"

Yami turned slightly to look at all of Yugi's friends who had met them at the airport, bags packed and ready to go. He was happy to see them and even felt Yugi's relief that they would be here. Neither had given thought that there was a possibility that once they landed in Egypt, that would be as far as they would all go together. He turned back to Aurora.

"But you will be there?"

"My friends and I all will be there in one way or another. I am not sure how it will be, but we will all be there."

"I'll take all I can get, Aurora. I'll need all that I can get."

The rest of the flight was silent until they all climbed off the plane. Tristan made his typical jokes and Téa looked around in awe. Joey stopped walking and looked around bewildered.

"So what do we do now?"

"How about some shopping?" Téa suggested eagerly as she spotted the small gift store inside the airport. With a squeal, she ran on ahead and ducked into the store.

"Seriously? We haven't even left the airport and she is already shopping." Joey said exasperated.

"Girls," Tristan said shaking his head. "Show 'em a store and they are off to the races to see who gets the cutest skirt first."

Aurora, Natara, and Saphira shared an amused grin but kept walking on ahead. There was too much to be done for them to stop and wait.

"Yugi!"

Everyone stopped and turned at the familiar voice. As they watched, Marik, Odion, and Ishizu came into view from the crowd with smiles of welcome upon their faces. Aurora felt Zahara's tension but watch her force the smile as she tried to remind herself that it wasn't him who had hurt her, but his darker half that no longer was in existence.

"It is so good to see you all," Marik said with excitement. "There is so much to catch up on. You are all looking well."

"We're just excited to get going on this trip," Joey told him.

Ishizu approached Yami and bowed her head. "It is good to see you again, My Pharaoh."

"Yes..." he returned almost hesitantly. "I... Have come home..."

"Please allow us to show you where the stone tablets are. You have such a long journey ahead, we are honored to be your guides."

"The pleasure is mine."

* * *

A small caravan of cars left the airport with all of the group. Odion drove the main vehicle. Aurora kept her head facing the window, watching all of the familiar sites pass by. So many had crumbled and fallen since she was last there. Her heart caught when they reached the stone opening on the side of a cliff. Her eyes closed. This was it.

Ishizu waited until everyone had gathered around her at the entryway. "Pharaoh, your journey has been long. You have faced many things and you have had your friends with you the entire time. However, this next step is for you alone. The memories you seek are only yours. The next steps you take will begin the path that you have been seeking."

"How do I start?"

"Face the stone tablet with your three god cards. The portal to your memory should open to you from there."

Yami nodded his thanks and turned to enter the opening. Aurora followed behind with the others following suit. Only Ishizu, Marik and Odion remained behind. Their part of this journey had ended. It was all up to the Pharaoh from there on out.

The pathway was lit by torches along the wall. It was damp and eerie, with all the makings of a horror movie, but it was the most real it could ever have gotten for them. The small path came to an end in a large open room. The stone tablets stood along the far wall and Yami continued toward them. He stopped in front of the tablet of lost memories. Staring up at it, he tried to prepare himself for the coming onslaught of memories and the emotions that were to come from them.

"Yugi, wait..."

Eyes turned to Téa as she stepped closer, pulling something out of her back pocket. Stretching out her hand, a small pendant fell from her fingers and dropped into his palm.

"Téa..."

"It's a cartouche. It's blank, but... You know... When you find your name, you can engrave it onto the cartouche. That way you will always have it and never forget it..."

"Thank you, Téa."

"Are you ready, Pharaoh?" Natara asked him.

"Are you coming, too? Ishizu said I had to go alone."

"You must follow your path alone. But remember... We were a part of that lifetime as well. We will have to reclaim our past to aid you when the time comes."

"Then I guess I am ready." Yami turned toward the tablets again, pulling out his god cards. He raised them to face the tablet. A bright light shone from the Puzzle on the tablet and Yugi fell as Yami was pulled from his body. Aurora and her friends felt the pull of the Power as well and did not fight it as they were pulled into the light with him and scattered outward.

* * *

Zahara watched as everyone left except Yugi and his friends and herself. She sighed and lowered her gaze. "Good luck Father."

"I don get it." Joey said as he turned and looked at her. "Why didn't you go?"

"Yeah, aren't you part of that family?"

"I am, yes... But in that time, I was a baby... I was too young for my current form to take control of myself there. I guess it wouldn't have worked."

"Not exactly."

The new voice came from the shadows behind them and they all turned to see Shadi stepping into the light.

"Shadi?"

"Greetings, Zahara."

"Shadi!" Yugi exclaimed, hurrying to stand before the ancient spirit. "What is going on? The Pharaoh is not in the puzzle, or my heart."

"That is correct, young Yugi. The Pharaoh has gone on into the world of his memories."

"What happens now?"

"The Pharaoh will now have to face the memories he created over three thousand years ago. With what he learns, he must learn who he is, fight the Great Evil and set things right that have been made wrong. He must set the world back on the track of light."

"That's not fair!" Téa protested. "We have to go back and make sure we can bring him back to this time."

"No, Téa..." Zahara returned softly. There was a reserved tone to her voice and she bowed her head. "He does not belong in this time. He is where he belongs."

"No..." Téa tried to argue but Shadi interrupted.

"The Pharaoh's daughter is correct. Unfortunately, this battle will serve only one purpose and that is for the Pharaoh to be able to take his rightful place in history. His name known for his greatness. In order for that to happen, he must defeat the Great Evil and acknowledge his name."

"Will he forget us there?"

"No, Téa, he will not. The Pharaoh will be able to retain all of the memories that he has made up to this point. He is merely reliving his fate."

"Will he be returned to the Puzzle?"

"Will he ever be able to come back?"

Zahara frowned as she realized they had begun to ask the same questions only in different ways. "He has answered you already," she said quietly.

"Then I have one different," Tristan said with a hint of anger in his tone. "If you knew he was going in to face this danger, why did you let him go?"

"It was not my call. I merely maintain the Millennium Items and see that the course of events is kept. He did not go alone. Another dark spirit went with him and his family on this trip. An ancient soul named Bakura." He passed a glance at Zahara when he felt her anger flash, but did not allow that to stop him. "Bakura wants the Items for his own dark purpose. He aims to raise a creature of darkness; the creature that the Pharaoh must face off against and defeat. This will be the beginning of the Dark Shadow Game of Destiny."

"No!" Yugi shook his head. "He can't!"

"Don't sweat it, Yug. The Pharaoh beat him the first time, it'll be okay," Joey tried to comfort him.

"Just because he did it one time, doesn't mean that things are guaranteed to be the same this time. Bakura may have found a way to change things to put them in his favor."

"But if the past is destroyed..." Téa started, her voice trailing.

"So it the future," Zahara finished the thought. She turned to Shadi. "There has to be a way for us to go back and help make sure that doesn't happen... Bakura has my sister. I have to find her and help stop the future from being changed..."

"There is a way," Shadi acknowledged.

"How?" Yugi asked.

"Through the passages of the Millennium Puzzle, there is a door that can lead you into the world of his memory.'

"But Shadi... There are so many doors and levels and halls... How are we supposed to know which one is the correct one?"

"Trust me to be your guide, and you will find the way."

There was a startling light that overwhelmed all senses and then there was darkness.

* * *

 


	4. Reconnected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yami and Aurora meet up again within Yami's memories. The Game has begun and memories are beginning to reveal themselves. 
> 
> NSFW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

Aurora groaned and forced her eyes to open as the smell of a fresh breeze caught her nose. Blinking rapidly to clear the fog from her vision, she looked around to get her bearings. It was a moment more before she even began to recognize the room she was in. But what she was doing there, she had no clue.

Sitting up, Aurora continued to look around, opening all of her senses in an attempt to learn more of the moment in the past she woke up in. She could see by the light in the window that the sun was almost set for the night. But her ears picked up sounds of struggle and panic. She rose from the bed and made her way to the window, gazing down onto the courtyard. People were hurrying and rushing in multiple directions, shouting for help and to protect the Pharaoh.

 _Protect the Pharaoh?_  Aurora frowned thoughtfully. She knew she should remember, but the memory itself was unclear within her mind. A moment longer and her breath halted as she stood straight. There it was.  She remembered.  She remembered the first night she was clearly able to move again. He had shown her such kindness and had been so patient with her. She had vowed to return that kindness one day. It appeared she had crash landed right into the moment she decided to help him in return. Ironic to her that she would return to a moment in time in which they were not actually together.

 _So this is how it is going to play out,_  she thought to herself as she turned and conjured her staff while stepping toward her door.  _At least I remember what it is I am supposed to do..._

Aurora made her way into the main throne room and cast her gaze around. She took in the sight of the guards closing in on the Thief who had a hold of the Pharaoh with a dagger to his throat. Yes, she remembered this scene rather well. She remembered the strain in her husband's throat as he demanded to know Bakura's presence and to be released. She remembered the sheer will to protect him as the dagger jerked against the Pharaoh's neck. Smooth and quick, Aurora's arm lifted almost as if without her mind behind it and her staff leveled itself in preparation to be thrown. She made no sound as she drew back and then let it go, watching it sail across the room, striking the thief's arm, knocking the dagger away from the Pharaoh's neck before striking and sticking into the stone floor.

"What the...?" Bakura frowned angrily and turned to look at the staff before turning his gaze back at her. "I should have known you would be here."

"I was a part of this time. You did not honestly think you would be able to carry on with your plans without me here to make sure that things did not go as you had hoped? I will see that history only has one change... And that is the darkness loses its final battle."

"Just who do you think you are?" the thief snarled at her, still clutching his wounded arm.

Aurora grinned. "Why the life of the party, who else?" She lost her grin, however, as she calmly approached him. "Now, I will tell you only once... Leave this place."

"And just how do you expect to make me leave?"

Aurora lifted her hand and the staff pulled free from where it had landed, returning to her without incident. Her eyes flashed white and the force of her power began to gather around her. "You really dare to test me this night? Not very smart of you."

Bakura snarled again and stood up straighter. "Diabound! I call on you for this battle!"

"That's right," Aurora chided as she cocked her head to the side at the sight of his monster. "I remember now... You call on monsters to fight your battles for you. However, I am not like you. I fight my own battles. And if you were half a man, so would you."

"Your attempt to protect the Pharaoh is admirable. But you have no idea what you are up against."

"Truthfully? Neither do you." Aurora's flashed a brilliant shade of fire as she leveled her staff in front of her. "Who needs a monster when you, yourself,  _are_  one?" Raising her staff above her head, she began to slowly use a circular motion above her. A dark cloud began to grow over her head and lightning struck out from it as her Power began to build still more. She knew by the look in his cold eyes that he was seething over her appearance. "It must burn you that you will be taken out yet again by me just like the first time... Bakura," she taunted him in a voice that carried with it a sound of multiple voices. Her Power multiplying her strength in a way that was almost like she was a legion to battle him.

"You'll not get me again, not this time! Diabound, attack!"

The creature attacked but Aurora remained still. She watched the creature as it grew closer. Her only action was to arch an eyebrow.

"It did not frighten me before, it still does not frighten me now. Sorry to disappoint you yet again." The crystal in the tip of her staff took on an ominous glow before sparking into a hue of orange, red, and yellow. "Crystal Rose Shock!" She leveled the staff at the advancing beast and it was instantly enveloped in the light. The watching crowd shielded their eyes from the brilliance. "Send this creature back whence it came!" There was an explosion of light and the creature was once more, no more to be seen.

" _No!_ Impossible!" Bakura shouted in fury. "No one can destroy my monster!"

"Correction, it can be destroyed. What is the point in coming back only to repeat what you did the first time with the same results?" She glared darkly at him. "Bakura, you underestimate the lengths we will all go through to ensure the Pharaoh reaches the goal he is seeking."

"Not this time, wretch!" Bakura surged forward in a direct attack.

Aurora tsked tsked and shook her head. She brought up her hand and when his chest landed flat against it, a fireball erupted in the contact and struck him square in the chest, its power enveloping him. "Be gone, infidel!" Once more, there was a bright light and just as quick as the fight began, it was over and he was gone. Once the rush was over, Aurora fell to one knee, her staff clattering against the stone floor. Her breathed hissed in when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Aurora tilted her head up and found herself lost in a sea of crimson. His voice had been full of concern and fear. He reached out an arm to steady her.  _His arm_. Not Yugi's arm, but his actual arm in his true form... It took all she had not to burst through the sudden exhaustion and latch her arms around his neck and kiss him as passionately as she had longed to for so long. She drew a breath and reminded herself that soon they would have their moment. She would be able to know her husband again as she was meant to.

"Are you alright?" He asked again, more pressing.

She bowed her head slightly with a soft smile before she nodded and looked up at him again, remembering this part of his memory and knowing what she was meant to say. "Yes, Pharaoh. I shall be alright. This was all just too much, too soon. I had not expected to have to call upon such strong powers in this battle. To be honest, I had not truly expected him to attack me.

"You are trembling."

"And you have been injured," she pointed out with a nod to his neck.

"It is nothing, I will be fine."

Aurora shook her head. "You helped me. Now I am returning the favor."

Before he could stop her, she raised a hand to his neck. A small white light covered the wound. When she withdrew her hand, the injury was no longer visible. He brought his own hand to his neck to find that the injury was gone with her simple, warming touch. He heard her sigh.

Struggling to keep her voice steady, Aurora bowed her head again. "Now please, Pharaoh, I beg your permission to leave and return to my room. I must rest."

The Pharaoh swallowed hard, trying to hide the response of emotion his body had at her touch. He could feel the triggering effects as some of the blocks had begun to break away. He remembered this. "As you wish. Do you require assistance back?"

"No. I shall be alright."

He nodded and helped her to stand, stooping to retrieve her staff so he could return it to her. Helplessly, he watched as she turned to leave the room.

"Pharaoh..." Isis stopped mid-sentence when he merely lifted his hand to silence her and took his own leave.

"I am retiring for tonight to my own bedchamber. I do not wish to be disturbed the rest of the night."

"Yes, Pharaoh, as you wish," his council all returned in unison.

The Pharaoh stopped at his door briefly and looked around. He saw no one in the halls. Quickly, he ran the opposite direction and stopped in front of one of the guest rooms. He remembered this room. It was the room they had given  _her_. It was the room he would find Aurora. He paused outside the door. He felt a nagging feeling that there was something else he was supposed to be doing, but he mentally shoved it aside as he knocked on the door.

"You may enter, Pharaoh."

He blinked, startled. He did not know that she would be expecting him. His hand touched the handle on the door and he pressed it inward. The door slowly swung open and he found her in the middle of the floor. Her cloak had been tossed onto a chair in front of a simple vanity. Her boots placed beside her bed. Her thigh length skirt hung in tatters over her long legs. The shirt was missing a sleeve and there was a slashed cut in the middle the made him think she was more injured than she had let on. Yet, she was standing there silently, watching him. Waiting on him. She was searching his reaction, trying to gauge something he was not yet certain of.

"So are you going to just stand there and watch me, or do you have something on your mind, Pharaoh?"

"Please... Use my name... It is alright."

She gave him a half smile. "I wish I could. But you have to remember these are your memories. Until you remember it, I am not permitted to use it. But... I will call you Yami for now. If that will suffice."

He smiled and rushed to her, picking her up and hugging her tightly against him. "Oh, Aurora!"

She managed to keep her laughter soft but returned his embrace equally as tight. "I do not remember this happening at this point in the memory sequence."

"Will too much change because I altered this?"

"I am not sure. I guess we will see. But for now..." Aurora's fingers trailed along his darkly tanned arms, feeling each muscular curve. She could see the goose flesh beginning to appear as his body began to respond to her touch. "It is you... After all of this time... It is finally you..."

Yami's lips met hers with a searing passion and his embrace tightened still more. He was not letting go while he had this moment. He had waited so long and now there was no reason to hold back. The way she responded so eagerly to him, he realized she felt the same.

He lifted her up and her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms circling around his neck. He groaned as she purred against his lips. Stepping carefully, Yami moved till her back was braced against the wall and he smiled up at her while she gazed down at him. She ran her fingers through his hair and traced her fingertips along his jaw. She leaned in for another kiss.

"To think we believed we would never have these moments again..." she murmured against his lips. "I almost do not want to let go..."

"For now, don't..."

Her head rested back against the wall as she felt him slide easily within her. She remained fully gripped in his protective hold. Her skin warmed as her body arched into his. They were still the perfect fit they had been all those centuries ago. His lips continued to kiss her tanned shoulders and along the crook of her neck. Her body began to shudder and she clung tighter to him. Her mind was desperately attempting to cling to the reality of where she was and who could hear if they were not careful. She knew they could not alter too many of his memories. Things relatively had to remain as they once were if he was going to continue to find his name and change the final outcome in order to win his last battle. She permitted things to happen at this point because she remembered this was the night things had changed between them in the first place. Maybe not to this extreme, but it was a change that had brought them closer together.

Aurora dropped her head and kissed the unique mark on his shoulder that proved he carried the powers of her former husband, Rhenn. She felt the mark warm to her touch. She felt the Power surge through them both as their emotions fueled the passion they felt. She never felt her back leave the wall, but moaned louder than she intended to when they fell onto the bed. He never pulled free from her in that action. He buried his face into the crook of her shoulder once again, teeth grazing her skin as he thrust still more forcefully within her. Her nails scratched over his back in response to his stronger pulses. He pulled his head from her neck only to meet his lips to hers in time for them both to muffle their cries of ecstasy as they fell together from their passionate rise.

They clung to each other for several moments to follow, waiting for their hearts to slow and their breaths to return to each them. He rolled from her after a moment, but continued to hold her close. The silence stretched and they allowed the feeling of peace to consume them that had been lost to them for so long.

"I do not suppose I can stay here with you tonight."

Aurora chuckled softly. "You  _are_  the Pharaoh. I suppose that you can do whatever it is you wish. However, it would disrupt the timeline a bit for your memory."

"True..."

She tilted her head to gaze up at him. "As it stands, be prepared for a slight time jump by morning... You still have to find your name. Certain events are about to come quickly for you in an attempt to force your hand before you are ready. Consider this as a nighttime dream... You will jump memory to memory seeking what you need before it is too late."

"Fair enough." He sighed and stirred, rolling from her reluctantly, he sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed and bowed his head in his hand. "Aurora..."

"Shhh..." She sat up and scooted closer to him, dropping a kiss upon his bronzed shoulder before resting her cheek against his back. "Do not stress more than you must on this. We are all here and will help you through this. You are not just the Pharaoh with the Millennium Puzzle... You are one of us now as well. We protect our own. We will work together to make this a victory for the ages."

"We have to. It is the only way you and I can finally be where we belong... Together..."

At that moment, Aurora was grateful he could not see her face as her smile faded slightly at his words. As much as she longed for it, she feared that the end he was seeking would not be the end he received. She feared what would come about when he realized it. She pulled back when she felt him start to rise and she watched him make his way to the door of her room. Quietly, she stood and followed him.

At the door, he turned to face her. When Aurora looked up at him, her vision was flooded in a sea of crimson. She felt him take her hand and give it a squeeze before he leaned in for one more soft kiss.

"Good night, Aurora." He released her hand and turned to return to his own chamber. Her door had been nearly closed behind him but he smiled when he heard her soft response.

"Good night, my love..."

* * *

 


	5. Sense of Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

Aurora's eyes blinked at the sunlight that filtered through to her room. It was odd for her to wake up knowing she was in Egypt, but not yet in the chamber she so remembered. A part of her wondered how long she had been asleep and if she had missed anything. Another part of her wondered if he was awake and wondering the same of her. Slowly, she forced herself out of the bed. It took more effort than she thought it should. The fight from before was a relatively easy one for her, but it had been so long that she'd had to pull such magic that in the end it did not surprise her to feel just how tired she was.

Reaching her balcony, Aurora stared out over the land wondering of her friends. She knew at this point in the Pharaoh's memory they had not yet made an appearance. But she could not help but wonder if his memory would skip around point to point as he searched for his name and the final clue to this battle. She received her answer when after a soft rap at her door, it opened and a young woman with brown hair and friendly eyes poked her head through the door looking for her. The girl smiled as she entered and bowed her head.

"Good morning, milady."

"Mana... Isn't it?"

Her smile broadened. "Yes, milady."

"What can I do for you?"

"Actually, I am here with a message for you, milady. The Prince would like for you to join him at breakfast."

"Prince?"   _Did we go backward in time?_ She suddenly wondered.  She knew she wasn't a part of his earlier life, but she had found herself wondering if she was being dragged along for the ride to his farther past as well.

"Oh! Forgive me. We grew up together. We spent so much time together that sometimes it is hard to remember that he isn't the Prince anymore."

Aurora placed a hand on Mana's shoulder, a part of her relaxing as she began to understand. "Do not fret, my dear. I'll never tell." They shared a smile.

"Oh, thank you, milady!"

"Please, call me Lady Aurora. It was my title back home."

"Really? Thank you, Lady Aurora."

Even in memory, Mana's innocence was touching. Aurora almost forgot how enjoyable Mana's aura was to be around. "Now, what was this you mentioned about breakfast?"

"Oh yes, The Pharaoh wishes for you to join him in the main hall."

Aurora nodded, forgetting that in the original memory she had been hesitant. She knew that many of the council had not been so certain of her and had their reservations. She also knew that she was able to prove her place among them after a time. She was not about to allow for self-consciousness to hold her back now. She followed Mana from her room and to the main hall. She drew a breath when she heard Mana introduce her presence and stepped into the room with her head held high.

Her breath almost vanished when her eyes drank in the site of him in his royal garb. The darkly bronzed skin and his crimson eyes; a fine rose among the carnations as he sat at the breakfast table. His smile had been tense at first as his mind lingered on the discussion that had taken place prior to her appearance, but as she entered, it brightened. He stood and motioned to a chair near him for her to sit. As she stepped closer to him, he leaned in toward her slightly, lightly touching the cloak that she wore.

"I know the pleasantness of these memories will fade soon. I intend to enjoy the good memories while I can."

She offered him a smile as her head went back deep into thought. His words struck a wonder within her that made her curious.  _Just why is this memory being allowed to filter through? There is nothing to this memory that even attaches to the task at hand... It doesn't make any sense..._

She was pulled back from her thoughts when he placed his hand upon hers. She was not sure what was going on, but she would play the part as fate had decreed it for her to play. She would do what she needed to. Her gaze left his long enough to travel toward the window. She had not heard from any of her friends yet. It worried her what was in store for them as well.

"What is wrong?"

"Just thinking of my friends. I have not seen them since we arrived. I am just hoping that they are alright."

"Perhaps we should go out into the village today and see what we can do about finding them?"

Aurora turned back to face him with a slight nod. "I would like that... "

* * *

Seto stepped off his jet and looked out over the sands of Egypt. He still was not sure what had possessed him to fly out there. He remembered staring down at the Millennium Eye and the next thing he knew, he was in his jet. A small voice over the com had confirmed to him that Yugi and his friends had all made the journey and should already be there. He knew his being there had nothing to do with them. He still didn't believe that he had any connections to the place. There was no reason he should be there. He looked down at the Eye in his hand and sighed.

No... He was wrong. There was a very large reason for why he was there. A flash of the image of a limp Mokuba and a fallen Sanura crossed his vision and his fist clenched around the Eye, a snarl rumbled from his throat. His brother.  His lover.  He did not understand why Bakura had felt the need to target them. He had no connection to him that he was aware of.  Bakura had no need to take them. He had to find a way to get them back.

"I have to admit, I am surprised to see you here, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto's eyes snapped open and he spun in the direction of the voice. A man just taller than Yugi, with similar hair, but the voice was just an octave lower than Yugi's was standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest, leaned against the pole of a nearby merchant's tent.

"Yugi?"

The man shook his head slightly. "Not exactly. My son is currently busy tending to his own mission. Ishizu called me and said you were on your way. Said I should meet you here. She told me you had information on my family I needed to know."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"I don't suppose you do." There was a moment of silence before Adais spoke again. "As I know you have no information on Yugi, that leaves Sanura. So I will ask you this:  what has happened to my sister?"

"She is your sister?"

Adais frowned when he realized the shock on Seto's face was not faked. "A man as attentive to detail as you could not honestly make me believe that you could not have figured it out. The hair, the uniqueness in her approach to things in this life. I know you don't often tend to see anything outside of your brother and your business, but it was really more obvious than I would have thought it to be for someone like you."

"How is it any business of yours what I do or don't know?"

"It isn't... Except in the case of my sister. I am asking again, what do you know of Sanura?"

"She is missing. She was at my home with my brother when some kid named Bakura managed to break in and take them."

Adais frowned and stood taller. "Bakura?"

Seto scowled. "Yes, and apparently he brought them somewhere here. I have come to get them back."

"They're not here." Adais sighed and dropped his "tough guy" act. He knew what had happened.

"What do you mean? He said he would be here with them."

"Not exactly. But I think I can take you to where you may be able to reach them. It's where I would go if I were you."

"But you aren't."

"I know. But unlike you, I know where Bakura likes to hide. I know how you can reach him. It's where I will be going when I leave here, with or without you."

Seto mused over Adais' words for a moment. Part of him almost told the man he would go himself, but he realized that logically speaking, this man could be his only connection. He needed to utilize that connection as best as he could at this point in order to get them back.

"Fine," Seto told him. "Show me where he would be."

* * *

The memory world had jumped ahead on them and Aurora and Yami found themselves on his balcony. Both gazing out over the land and sky, they could see an upside-down pyramid protruding from the clouds. Aurora glanced at Yami from the corner of her eye as he idly looking down at an empty cartouche.

"What is it that troubles you, my love?"

"What if I am not able to save mankind from this dark evil, Aurora? What will happen to them all?" He turned and looked down at her. "What of our other friends? Are they here as well or are they still in the future? Will we ever see them again?"

Aurora placed a gentle finger upon his lips. "First, my friends are here somewhere. We all were pulled in because we are all directly a part of everything here. Second, we will be finding them soon. With the way time works here, they will appear almost anytime, I am sure of it. Three, your friends from the future, our children... I am sure they have found a way to help us in one way or another. If not yet, they will soon."

"Thank you. I don't know where I would be if not for you."

"What can I say... We made a pretty good pairing for this time. Our enemies just don't know it yet."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the door to his chamber being opened. Mahaado joined them on the balcony, kneeling before Yami.

"Please excuse my interruption, My Pharaoh, but I do not think it wise for you to be out so clearly in sight especially after recent events."

Yami agreed and they both returned inside leaving his concerns to the back of his mind once again.

* * *

Zahara looked around at all the stairs and doors that surrounded them all as she sat up from where she had fallen. Her body ached from the fall but she forced herself not to consider it right then. She was more concerned about trying to find the right door to enter her father's memories. Her family, all of them, depended on it.

"Shadi said to trust in him," she murmured as she stood. "He would show us the way... So where is he now?"

"Every door looks the same," Tristan complained.

Yugi sighed sadly. "We will never find the right one..."

"Even the doors have doors," Joey quipped as he opened one door to reveal another door behind it.

"Right? It's like for every one door we open there are fifty more behind it."

Téa looked down at her watch, tapping the face of it lightly. "Either my batteries are dead or time has stopped."

"There is no semblance of time here," Zahara explained quietly. "Time stands still. It's how my father has managed to maintain himself in the appearance that he has so far. Coming here..." She looked around. "It was built to be a never-ending mystery. One to keep even Father guessing about where everything is and where he was supposed to go."

Tristan huffed. "If we don't find the right door soon, I'm gonna lose it!"

"Zahara was correct in her words about the doors. You must also be very careful as many of them contain traps behind them," Shadi explained to them.

Téa gave a shrug. "No one here is closer to Yami than Yugi, except for her," she said motioning to Zahara. "Maybe if they concentrated hard enough they would be able to get a feel for which door we need to head to."

"I don't know," Yugi told her. "I haven't felt anything since he left the Puzzle. All I sense is a strong feeling of loneliness."

Zahara sighed.  _Hang on, Father..._ _W_ _e are trying to find you..._ _W_ _e will join you somehow soon..._

* * *

Aurora groaned and opened her eyes. Her last memory had been of them stepping back into the bedchamber, but looking around, she was no longer there. Nor was she wearing the long white gown and cloak she was accustomed to wearing. Aurora found herself standing beside the throne in true Egyptian attire. Yami had startled beside her in his chair. There was a crown before them and a man in chains on his knees. Aurora could vaguely make out that Shimmon was speaking Yami, but her memory was so jumbled she had to search deeply to find where she was.

With a startled gasp, she realized they had jumped several years ahead. Whatever was maneuvering time, had forced it forward. A quick glance at her hand found her wedding band. She could see how exhausted Yami was and realized it was from being up with the babies, trying to help her. Yami's time was drawing to a close. The events were beginning and she could only try to hurry and help him find his name on his own. As she watched Set proclaim the criminal as evil, she knew time was no longer on their side.

"Are you alright?" Yami asked her, taking her arm as she held her forehead.

She shook her head. "No, something is not right." They were interrupted again when one of the guards spoke up.

"We are ready to begin, my Pharaoh," the guard said as he bowed. The prisoner was brought forward and forced to his knees. Aurora sighed as the charges were read off. Her eyes roamed over the room. Something did not seem quite right to her. Something was definitely off.

"The Seven Millennium Items will judge you and choose your punishment!" Akunadin had announced, pointing at the criminal.

The criminal growled at him.  "Just what will you do with me?" he demanded.

The Priest Shada stepped forward and held up his Millennium Key using it to look into the criminal's soul, to see the true heart of him. He stepped back and glanced over at Akunadin from the corner of his eye. "There is an evil ka in this man's mind," he announced.

Akunadin grunted and stepped forward. His Millennium Eye began to glow brightly as he commanded his eye to release the evil ka from the criminal. As everyone watched, Aurora cringed inside herself as wisps of smoke seemed to come from the criminal's mouth.

Even after all the years that had passed, she still had never managed to get used to sights such as what she watched before her. The smoke clouded over the man's head and seemed to take shape.

Shimon explained what was happening to the criminal. "Hatred creates a monster in one's mind. One we call a 'ka'. If the ka is strong, it can control the one who it inhabits and cause him to do acts of crime as it increases the hatred within his heart. The priests are able to drag the ka beast out of the man's mind and seal it inside a stone tablet." As he said this, a stone tablet appeared beside the priests and the criminal. Akunadin focused the energy of his Eye to control the beast as he hollered for High Priest Set to seal the beast within the tablet using his Millennium Rod.

Set merely glanced back at Yami with a raised eyebrow as he sized up the beast before him.  "This ka beast is weak and may not interest the Pharaoh," he said as he activated the Rod. But he did as he was told by the elder priest and raised his Rod high with a command f his own. "Go into the stone you evil beast!" he shouted. The monster screamed and began to fade away as its energy began to become absorbed by the stone beside it.

"Well done," Akunadin complimented after the smoke and lights had cleared.

Set looked back at Yami.  "The Pharaoh may feel a bit bored, perhaps we should punish this man by separating his body?" Set offered.

Aurora raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Yami who was watching the scene before him through barely open eyes. She had forgotten this part of Priest Set. She now could sense the familiar memory that he had become an unforgiving man by nature. The cruelest punishment possible to suit any crime.

Akunadin stepped toward Priest Set and stopped him. "The ka beast is no longer a part of him. Even an evil man can be reformed."

"The sleeping place of Great Pharaoh is that of a place of God. There shall be no mercy for one who dares to trespass in the Holy Place. His body should be separated and bones ground to make an example out of him."

Now Aurora's stomach turned at the thought. The criminal looked up at Priests Set and Akunadin, begging for forgiveness. Akunadin seemed to take pity on the man. He ordered him to be sent away to hard labor for seven years. The guards nodded and dragged the man out of the room. Set turned on Mahaado.

"Are you not the one in control of the guardians protecting the tomb? There have been several attacks recently, how do you plan to deal with this?"

"I am sorry," Mahaado said bowing his head to Set. "My Millennium Ring has been feeling strange to me as of late," he explained." We have been sealing so many ka beasts I cannot seem to check them all for their evil."

"There are six of us with the responsibility to protect the Pharaoh, both here and in the future, Mahaado," Set countered.

Yami had straightened in his seat when Set began his verbal attack on the priest. He was concerned as Mahaado had been helping him work harder on his knowledge of magic as he prepared for future Shadow Games, in hopes of being strong enough to be able to summon a god ka. He was about to step in when Mahaado stepped forward and knelt before him.

"Please Pharaoh allow me permission to increase the guards protecting you," he pleaded.

Yami sat back and calmed for a moment. "Do as you see fit, Mahaado," he replied.

Set had turned and ordered some servants and guards to remove the stone tablet and place it in the Veji Shrine with all the other stone tablets that held different ka beasts. Yami watched but said nothing. His mind had gone off in several different directions. The tomb of his father having been a target, the man claimed there was nothing there when he was captured. That could only mean one thing. Bakura had to have returned.

Shimon had been watching Yami for several moments, taking his silence for worry over the tomb that had been raided. He made an attempt to cheer him up by telling him how he had already begun the preparations for Yami's tomb. Aurora and Yami looked up sharply at the old man with questioning eyes. Yami listened intently to the old man while Aurora caught the sense of another power in use nearby. She looked around and caught Isis opening her eyes from her trance. She had begun to get the same feeling that Aurora had noticed earlier and caused her to send the children away.

"My necklace senses a dark presence coming near the palace," she whispered softly. "One that has great power."

Yami was still listening to Shimon carrying on about the traps he was having placed within his tomb to ensure his safety and peaceful eternal sleep. All Yami could think about was going to his bedchamber to go to sleep right then. He was not ready to think about his impending death. His attention turned however when Akunadin spoke.

"What is wrong Isis?"

Isis had gone back into her trance as she channeled her energy to try to learn more about the evil that was coming their way. It was almost immediately after Akunadin's question that Mahaado's Millennium Ring began to glow and jingle around his neck.

"My Ring can sense the Dark Energy!" he exclaimed.

Just then, guards ran into the hall.  "Pharaoh! The Thief King! He has returned and broken through the defenses. He is on his way here now!" a guard cried out. He was sent flying forward as Bakura barged into the hall. He scattered the treasures from the tomb over the fallen guard and yanked a rope beside him revealing the mummified corpse of the former Pharaoh. The Priests took their places before Yami in an attempt to protect him.

"Perhaps next time you will have better traps in the tombs, for I have the treasures  _and_  the corpse of the Pharaoh Akunumkanon!" Bakura bellowed with joy. His smiled an evil smile as he glared at the priests.

Priest Shada stepped forward pointing his Key at Bakura.  "Coming unbidden before the throne is a crime of which you will not be forgiven!" he shouted.

Bakura chuckled and waved his hand over the treasures at his feet.  "You think you can pass judgment over me? Ha! These treasures came from the former Pharaoh's tomb, but they are not what I wish. I have come for your Millennium items," he told them darkly. "Do you really think you stand a chance against a great thief like me?" The priests kept their guard up and Bakura laughed. His evil sound ringing through the walls of the main hall. "Now I will ask you nicely, just one time... Will you give the Millennium Items to me? Or shall I have to use force?"

"He cannot have them," Aurora said firmly.

Yami stood strong beside her. His earlier exhaustion forgotten as he stared down at the man who had robbed his father's tomb and was attempting to ruin the world he knew. "What is it that you want, Bakura?"

"Ah, our grand meeting, Yugi- no wait...  _Pharaoh._ Now you will see that our game officially begins."

"You good for nothing Robber!" Set shouted angrily.

Mahaado snarled. "We will never let you get near to the Pharaoh!"

"Why that's just fine by me," Bakura told them smoothly. "I can fight you all. It will make my job easier since all of the Millennium Items are all here. I mean, do you really think you can capture me with your tiny power?"

"Blasphemous fiend!" Aknadin fired back. "The seven Millennium Items are used to maintain order in the world. Only priests like us who've undergone soul training, and the Pharaoh, can possess them. People whose hearts are full of evil, like you, will burn their souls if they touch the Items."

Bakura gave a visible shiver and his grin spread wider over his face. "Priest, you should stop telling me things that excite me. Now I'm even more determined to possess them."

Set held up the Millennium Rod. "You'll be punished for mocking the Pharaoh."

Bakura laughed wickedly. "I live on the outskirts of your little kingdom; your rules don't apply to me. So it would be in your best interest to hand over your Millennium Items."

Set glared defiantly. "We will use our power to sentence you to death right now!"

"Stop joking," Bakura chided. "You can't do anything, even if I kill you all right here. So hand over your Millennium Items. But not for free," he added tossing riches from the tomb at their feet.

"You  _stole_  that!" Shimon said, horrified.

Unconcerned, Bakura continued. "I have brought yet another token with me." He whistled for his horse, which galloped into the palace dragging the former Pharaoh's sarcophagus behind it. The sarcophagus slid toward Bakura, who stopped it by stepping on it with one foot. "Say hello to your previous king."

"Bakura! Now, you've gone too far, and your soul must be judged by the Millennium Items. Guards! Bring a sealing tablet at once and let this trial begin!" Set roared

Bakura clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Your weak magic will never contain me."

"No mortal can ever resist the power of the sacred items!" Shada told him.

"Wait!" Karim shouted and stepped forward with his Millennium Scale. They all watched as the scale tipped back and forth. "The Scale is unable to find a balance. This means the evil within his heart is immeasurable."

"He is right," Aknadin agreed. "I see darkness which knows no bounds. The thief's soul is a bottomless pit, in which thrives a terrifying creature."

Shada held up the Millennium Key. "Reveal the beast lurking within this thief!" He gasped while Bakura laughed. "That is no ordinary beast! It's the more powerful being I have ever witnessed. The sealing tablet is far too small!"

"That's ridiculous," Set growled.

"Set is right," Aknadin agreed. "We've never had any difficulty before."

Bakura continued to laugh, and suddenly his Diabound burst into being behind him.

Aknadin shrank back. "How can such a creature live in the heart of a petty thief?"

"Well, Pharaoh," Bakura said smoothly. "I want you to meet the creature of your demise."

Aurora stepped up. "You forget we have seen your creature before, Bakura. I was able to defeat it once, you can bet I will take it down again."

Set stepped forward and used his Millennium Rod to seal Diabound within the stone tablet. "Just as I suspected," he said. "The thief's soul has been cleansed."

The room was silent for a moment as they all watched the spot the Thief had stood. In a gentle voice that almost reminded Aurora of Ryou, Bakura placed a hand to his head and thanked Set for saving his life. "Thank you so much, priest. You have now finally freed me from the creature that was controlling my mind." The moment was short-lived, however, when Bakura's voice changed back to his dark tone. "Thank you for leaving me free to annihilate you all!"  The sealing tablet cracked and released Diabound while Bakura laughed again. "I knew you'd be powerless against the dark energy of my Diabound."

"We must unite to defeat this one," Aknadin told the other guardians. All of the guardians held up their arms, unfolding gold devices with wing-like sections. "We must be careful. But we must combine our power.

"No," Set told them. "I can defeat this thief on my own."  Set raised his Diadiankh and called forth a creature of darkness to join him in battle. He summoned Garestgolath, and the dragon-beast formed before him.

Bakura only laughed. "Now _this_ is a Shadow Game!"

"Garestgolath! I call upon you to wage war with Diabound!" Set commanded. "No one who disrespects the Pharaoh shall go unpunished."

Garestgolath attacked Diabound, but before it reached Bakura's monster, Bakura called forth Winged Sage Falcos, which attacked and destroyed Set's beast.

"Impossible!" Set exclaimed. "Only those in the royal court can summon monsters."

Mahaado looked up at the thief confused. "How is it you were able to summon that beast? You don't have a Diadiankh..."

"Remember," Bakura said idly. "I paid a visit to the old Pharaoh's tomb, and 'borrowed' a few of his toys—like his Diadiankh." The wings of the Diadiankh spread, revealing images of Diabound and Winged Sage Falcos.

"You are interfering with forces beyond your control!" Isis warned Bakura.

"Quite the contrary," Bakura said. "I'm in complete control of these forces thanks to your former king and his personal collection of monsters."

"How  _dare_ you disturb the great protectors of the sacred crypt of King Aknamkanon," Set raged.

"Those creatures were placed there to safeguard the tomb of the Great Pharaoh," Aknadin protested.

"Oh, I disagree," Bakura countered. "The former Pharaoh was a tyrant, who destroyed my village when he tried to fashion the seven Millennium Items in a selfish attempt to further his own power."

"Liar!" Aknadin argued. "King Aknamkanon put an end to the war that ravaged our nation and brought peace and prosperity. He created the seven Millennium Items to ensure that harmony would reign forever in Egypt."

Seto added, "The Pharaoh then gave the Millennium Items to us, in order to keep the peace and help rule the land with justice, as well as to thwart evildoers like you."

"Is that so?" Bakura asked them. "Is that what you think  _they_  are?" He scoffed, the insult he felt from their words clear in his eyes. "If that is what you have been told, allow me to correct that lie with a bit more fact.  The Millennium Items were built to react with the inner darkness of the person that holds them. The fact that you wield the seven Items makes every one of you an evildoer, just like your so-called keeper of the peace, King Aknamkanon. The king wanted power. That's why he devised a plan to use the seven Millennium Items to control the world. The secret lies in the village of Kul Elna."

"You speak treason, Thief!" Aknadin bellowed.

"I think not," Bakura said calmly. "Deep beneath the sands of Kul Elna lies the Millennium Stone. Place the seven Items in this stone, and ultimate power will be yours.

Aknadin shook his head. "I don't know where you came from, but I know where you must go. Set, destroy him!"

"Nothing would please me more," Set responded coldly. "Battle Ox!"

The other guardians called upon their monsters: Karim called Bastet; Isis summoned Spiria; Shada, Zelua; Aknadin, Gadius; and Mahaado, Illusion Magician. From the tablet sanctuaries, the beasts rose and flew to the guardians' Diadiankhs.

Mahaado's Illusion Magician destroyed Winged Sage Falcos.

"You'll have to do better than that," Bakura taunted. "Diabound, attack!"

Bastet, Zelua, and Gadius were quickly destroyed, and the other three monsters are thrown back against the wall.

"I've never seen such strength," Shada said in awe.

"We have him outnumbered still," Aknadin told them.

Mahaado stepped forward. "Let my monster attack again."

Set shut him down. "Your creature would only be destroyed. You'll have another chance, but we need to weaken his monster first."

Set summoned Mystic Horseman, then told Karim to take over. Using the power of the Millennium Scale, Karim combined the spirits of Mystic Horseman and Battle Ox. As Rabid Horseman formed before them, Set ordered Rabid Horseman to attack Diabound. Diabound counterattacked and immobilized Rabid Horseman's sword arm with the coils of its serpent tail.

Set turned to Mahaado. "This is your chance!"

Mahaado nodded and used Illusion Magician's power of Binding Illusion to capture Diabound. But Diabound breoke loose, sending shockwaves toward the guardians that threw them against the wall.

Bakura laughed. "Perhaps, Pharaoh, you should consider replacing your staff."

Furious, Yami stepped forward. "Bakura! You are on sacred ground, and your disrespect is appalling!"

Bakura gave him a snide glare. "Excuse me for not respecting a kingdom that destroyed my home."

Aurora watched everything silently, taking in every part of this memory. She found herself frustrated that in all these years she had forgotten this moment.  She had forgotten Bakura's words as he explained his history.  She suddenly felt an understanding she never realized before. Bakura was not merely a thief, he was a victim who felt he had no choice but to fire back in vengeance. It did not give him the right to, but she suddenly understood his reason. She also found herself understanding why Zahara was drawn to him.  If her daughter knew this even in part, or at the very least suspected that he had been a victim, she would have tried everything within her power to try to help him.  Even protect him. 

She found herself realizing that there was a chance Zahara had been trying to calm the anger that this thief had in an attempt to make him see there was another way around this. Indirectly, Zahara may or may not have known that she was trying to change this end game that had to be played. Gasping, Aurora spun and ran from the room, taking the back exit and staircase that would lead her to where her children were hiding.

"It's a long shot... But I have to try..." Aurora burst through the door, startling Natara and Saphira.

"What's wrong?" Natara asked her as she breezed passed and moved directly to the baby Zahara.

"A theory I need to test... I am hoping that Zahara has been able to find a way into this world.  If she can or has, I need her to know something important.  I am hoping I can get a message to her through her younger self."

"Kind of risky, don't you think?" Saphira questioned curiously.

"Very... Especially because I know what risk I am about to put on her. But I believe there is a chance she can alter this path in our favor..."

"How can she..."

"Her connection to Ryou..."

"But..." Natara and Saphira looked at each other.

"You don't think Zahara can really reach the thief of this world by utilizing her bond with his vessel do you?"

Aurora frowned. "Not exactly... I think that the thief of this realm formed a bond with her either intentionally or by accident. And it is my intention to use that bond to weaken him..."

"Aurora..."

"I know, Saphira. It is a huge risk, and I know that I might be putting her in danger... But I trust that she can manage this. I know she has the strength to do this." She stopped and looked up at her friends. "This might just be the breakthrough that we need..."

Natara and Saphira shared a sly grin. "Her father is not going to be happy when he finds out," Natara chided lightly.

"I will face that if and when it comes to it," Aurora returned with a smile as she picked up her small daughter and placed her lips to her ear whispering the message that was meant for her and her alone.

* * *

Zahara froze at the whisper in her mind.  She looked around wondering if the words were from a memory that she had somehow forgotten.  She stopped moving and focused on the words.  When she realized it was her mother's distant voice, she frowned and shook her head, not entirely sure she was hearing correctly. When the message came through, her eyes widened in shock and she fell unceremoniously against a nearby wall.

 _Seriously, Mother?_ She sighed and shook her head again only to nod in silent response.  _I got your message, Mother. I don't know how you managed to reach out to me, and I don't know what exactly I am supposed to do, but I will do what I can... I will do my best to help you and Father._

She looked up in time for Yugi to shout in excitement and blink at the sudden flash of light. The opening had been found. They could finally enter the World of Memories. She drew a breath and started toward it. She was given a task that while not on her list of popular choices, it was one she was capable of managing. It was her turn to twist the tide into their favor. She closed her eyes and focused on one specific person, then jumped off the ledge into the World of Memory.

* * *

Aurora returned to the throne room in time to feel the floors rumble and see some of the walls crumble during the battle. She reached the throne just as Yami stood and stepped before his guardians. He ordered Bakura to leave.

"Pharaoh, let us deal with this thief," Set pleaded.

Yami shook his head, standing determined. He was no longer a pawn in this game he was supposed to fight. It was time to make Bakura come clean. "Bakura! If this is truly the ultimate Dark Game that you have spoken of, why not just get to the point?  Trespassing on sacred ground and tarnishing the name of my ancestors? You have reached a new low."

"How can I tarnish anything when you don't even know the first thing about your ancestors?" Bakura kicked the sarcophagus towards Yami. "Maybe this will jar your memory."

Shimon fell upon the sarcophagus in tears. "I never dreamed your return to the palace would be so disgraceful." He looked up at Yami with tears in his eyes. "I am so sorry that you had to see this. Please, you cannot allow this monster to continue to dishonor our heritage with his false accusations and lies. You mustn't believe anything this thief says about the former Pharaoh. He was a kind and just pharaoh!"

Yami knelt down beside Shimon and reached out to touch the sarcophagus. "I believe you, Shimon." He was startled into silence when a Power seemed to pulse from the sarcophagus and he heard a voice whisper from within his soul. He turned his gaze toward Aurora and she could see that another door had unlocked.

_Are you ready to show him you can call them, love?_

Yami nodded silently.  _I am._

_Then I stand ready with you to provide what my power can give._

"Have you forgotten that you are in the middle of a battle?" Bakura growled. "You interrupted just before I could deal the finishing blow. Do you have any last words, Pharaoh, before I end this Dark Game and take possession of the Millennium Items for my own once again?" He waited only a brief moment before giving a shake of his head. "No? Good, Diabound, attack!"

Yami stood up and activated his Diadiankh. "It seems that you have forgotten something, Bakura, Pillar of the Three Hidden Gods! Obelisk, come forth!"

Aurora smiled as she heard the in-drawn breaths of all of the guardians. The path had been laid out. It was time. Shimon sat back from the sarcophagus and stared at Yami in awe.

"Can it be? The legendary God monsters?" Shimon took a breath. "If you are referring to the three Egyptian Gods that guard the Pharaoh's tomb, the scriptures say that only the chosen king... A pharaoh who is not mortal... Will be able to know the names of these monsters..."

A dark voice could be heard following Yami's call saying that Justice is with the gods. A column of light formed over the palace as Obelisk the Tormentor appeared. The guardians all gasped as the mighty god monster appeared.

"This can't be happening," Bakura cried out taking several steps backward.

"I believe in my father's words," Yami told him.

"Well, my plan was to kill all of you and take back the Millennium Items. I never thought I would be stopped by a god. But if that is what it takes, Diabound will destroy your God then we will see who the  _real_  god is!"

"The Millennium Items were forged with my father's dream of freedom and peace. I will never forgive you for trying to steal them."

"Freedom and peace? Don't make me laugh! The Millennium Items were made of both good  _and_  evil. They are a double-edged sword." Bakura continued to explain. "Whoever wears them must be aware that they will react to the evil that resides in their souls... And drag them into a world of evil. The rich and Powerful love to talk about 'justice'!  The right to punish those you fear... To kill those you hate... And call it execution, not murder! Is that really justice? Or is that evil? What you really fear is your enemies version of justice! No one can truly draw the line between just and unjust, good and evil. Only the Millennium Items can as they are the compass of the soul!  Oh! Great Pharaoh, look behind you at your priests. Are you certain that there is not even one of them that covets your throne?"

"What are you saying?" Mahaado demanded.

"We priests have been sworn to absolute loyalty to the Pharaoh," Set roared back.

"Well I claim justice on my side as well," Bakura continued. "I'll make myself pharaoh, and the power of the throne and the Millennium Items, and I will rule the world!"

"Justice?" Yami questioned. "Don't make me laugh, Bakura. Murder? Grave robbing? Just where is your 'justice' in your actions? I will not let you get away with this!"

"Diabound attack!"

Everyone stood still and watched as the attack surged forward toward Obelisk. There was a blinding white light and when everyone could see again, Obelisk still stood tall.

"Bakura! I'll show you how flimsy your 'justice' is, with the Iron fist of a God!" Obelisk struck and both Diabound and Bakura were sent flying backward. Yami watched as Bakura gasped for breath while knelt to one knee.

"That attack... Took much of my power... But I still have enough to get out of here." He looked up at Yami and Aurora and the rest of the guardians. "So that is what your god can do. You are better than I thought. But next time won't go so well for you, great pharaoh. This is just a prelude to the fall of your dynasty." He glanced over at Mahaado. "I wouldn't get too attached to your Millennium Ring, Priest. It won't be much longer and it, and its power, will be mine..." Without another word, both Bakura and Diabound faded into the shadows and disappeared through the stone of the walls.

"Don't think this is over," Yami told everyone left in the room. "His challenge has been set. We must prepare. No one is safe so long as he lives." He looked up at Aurora. "No one."

* * *

 


	6. Over Her Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

Silently, Yami moved to a terrace in the palace and stared out at the sky. Aurora joined him, a sense of melancholy surrounding her. There was not a word she could say to ease his pain and suffering at the events of today. Even though just a memory, she could see the effects still taking its toll on him. Of all the things he had to remember in this quest, it was difficult for him to remember his own father's grave had been desecrated. These memories were hitting him harder and harder. Yet, still not one of them were giving him what he needed most in order to win this fight. She did not even dare to lay a hand upon his as she could see it would not be right. He startled her when he turned to face her and took a breath to speak. He was interrupted by a light step behind them, however. They turned to see Mahaado kneeling and bowing before them. Yami cast a questioning look over at his friend.

"What is wrong, Mahaado?"

"It was my charge to see your father's tomb well protected. I have failed in that duty and await your judgment." Yami looked hard at his friend and then his eyes lightened. He could not hold it against him as he knew what Mahaado had been spending his time doing the past couple of years.

"Just see to it his body is returned safely, Mahaado." The priest stood, his head still bowed and left the terrace to begin preparations. Yami turned back to Aurora but was still unable to speak as a little hand reached up to grab his and two tiny arms circled her waist. They both gasped and looked down. Adais was innocently gazing up at his father and Zahara was shaking in fear. The royal couple looked up quickly to see Sanura safely in Natara's arms.

"They broke away from us, I am sorry," Natara whispered as they drew near.

Sanura unhooked herself from Natara and lunged at Aurora with enough force to nearly send them both flying backward. Instead, Aurora fell to her knees and clung to her daughters, tears stinging her eyes. Her buried grief ripping her heart to shreds at the visions she had seen. The visions that had returned with such force she knew what would happen. And that it would happen soon. She was not prepared for the onslaught of emotion that flung itself at her while she held her daughters. She had already lived this. She had believed that it would have helped to ease the pain, but she had been mistaken. She knew her children would grow into fine and successful adults, but her fear still threatened to overwhelm her.

"Has anyone seen Kisara?" Priest Set asked. His eyes were still showing his anger from the battle. Everyone shook their heads and Saphira stepped forward.

"She left a few days ago, High Priest Set. I thought you knew. Something scared her and she just left."

Set turned to face her and together they moved back inside the palace. It was not long before the group on the terrace had been able to see Set again, this time headed for the Veju Cathedral with Akunadin, both deep in the conversation. Silently, Aurora gathered the children and hurried them away from the terrace. Yami watched her as she left and wondered what was wrong.

The children had long since been put to bed for the evening and Aurora struck out on her own. Something puzzled her about her visions. She needed to get away from everyone and just concentrate her energy. Mahaado had remained dutiful as he prepared to take the body of the former Pharaoh to its tomb on his own. Isis and Aurora had agreed this may not be the best move for him and tried to tell him so. However, the Priest would not listen. This was not something Aurora could change. She knew it had to happen this way. Knew it was about to go down just as it was needed to. She merely hoped she had been able to reach Zahara and that her daughter was able to find a way into the memory world so that they could stand a chance at some kind of change.

Then there was Priest Set... He, too, had begun to show signs of the changes within him. His competitive nature. The darkness was beginning to grow within him just as Aurora had remembered. She watched as her husband began to question the motives behind Set's actions. His disrespect of Yami had become more and more evident. Earlier in the day, Yami had challenged him to a practice duel to try to teach him that power and control were not what the shadow powers were all about. He won that match without even bothering to call upon his god guardians as Set had wished. This only seemed to enrage Set more. Aurora could not help but marvel at how much like his grandfather Seto really was.

Aurora sighed and tilted her head up to the stars. "How much longer does he have here with us?" She whispered sadly. With no answer to be found there, she continued to walk toward a small cathedral that rested on the far end of the royal gardens. Her heart was heavy with her buried grief. She had so many questions and there were just no more answers for her. She fell to her knees within a cathedral and gazed up at the stone carving of Ra looming above her. Her cloak had dropped around her and she lowered her head. "Just when will he fight his last battle? Is there nothing I can do to help him?"

Closing her eyes this time proved to be a mistake. She saw a battle in her mind. Bakura facing Mahaado. She watched in shock as the clash between them grew stronger. She also saw the ending. Her eyes snapped open and she stood to race from the cathedral. She found Yami standing with Mana and then saw the golden light in the sky of a beast being summoned.

"It has already begun!" She gasped.

Yami had also seen the light and had gone to fetch a horse. Others had followed, including Aurora, but she already knew what they would find. Outside the false tomb, Mahaado had used to trick Bakura, stood a stone slab. Mahaado's voice seemed to echo above them as he made his vow to always be there to protect his Pharaoh. He had sealed his soul within his Illusion Magician to become the Black Magician. Aurora went inside with Set and a few others while Isis stayed to help Yami console Mana over the loss of her teacher. They searched the room but found no trace of Bakura or Mahaado's Millennium Ring. Bakura had managed to gain one of the items he needed. They all looked at each other thinking the same thing. He had to be stopped from getting the others.

* * *

Zahara groaned as her eyes fluttered open. She could vaguely hear the sounds of a crowd around her but she could not tell if it was in front of or behind her. Slowly, she sat up and realized she was behind a small dress shop within the village. From what she could tell, she was not within the royal grounds, so she felt that she had to be in the common grounds just outside the gates. She looked down at her clothes and knew that she would never be able to blend in with the people of this time. Jeans and a t-shirt just really was not the fashion of choice in this era. She closed her eyes and envisioned a cute veil dancers outfit, a peach colored bikini top, and matching colored bottoms. She gave herself a commoner's travel cloak to wear over her outfit so she could blend in with the crowd. After taking a breath, Zahara slipped out from behind the shop and stepped into the crowded street.

A part of her wondered where the others had landed. She could not see any trace of them, however, so she could only focus on what she knew she had to do. She found a horse at a stable and offered the owner two chunky gold bracelets for pay. He gratefully accepted them and handed her the reigns of the horse. She smiled and swung her leg up and over before pulling the reigns to turn the horse around and racing with it out of the village. She knew where she would find her mark. She was not sure of what she would do once she found him, but she knew where she had to go. The one place that gave her body tremors at the mere thought of it.

The sand sprayed up behind her horse as she raced it over the desert. She knew she was pushing it faster than she should have, but she did not want to risk using her magic to teleport herself to him. It was too much of a chance of him sensing her and her plan not working. Zahara could already tell that the major aspects of the memory world were already in play. She just had to make sure she could either stop it completely or at the very least postpone his next move from taking place.

It was nearly dark before she finally reached the old ghost town. The evil aura surrounding it struck her like a mentally violent punch. Her heart sank. She suddenly had very little faith in herself on this playing field.  This was his land.  His home stretch.  He was surrounded by the evil that created him.  What if she was wrong about everything she felt?  What if it had all been in her head?  Her horse came to an abrupt stop and drew a deep breath.  She remembered the church back in the modern world.  She remembered his reaction.  She remembered the connection.  There was no way she could have imagined that.  Could there?

"Come on..." she muttered to herself. "Of everything you used to do growing up, you should be able to do this no problem..."  _Of course, you weren't on such an evil land at the time of all your other hijinks,_  she mentally lectured herself as she continued to make her way to the lower levels of the building she had wandered across. The evil she was feeling seemed to have pulled her forward. Zahara was not entirely sure it was wise to follow where it was pulling her, but she was going to follow it as far as she could in order to learn what was there.

There was a sudden ripple in the air and she froze in her step, ducking behind a fallen support beam. Her breath stilled and she shifted to peek around her cover. There he was. Wild, white hair, burgundy robe, white slipper shoes, and that blasted Millennium Ring... She realized then why she felt the trouble in the air that she had. She had come too late to protect the original wearer of the Ring. A part of her wrestled with that thought until she realized that it was, unfortunately, better that way. It meant that her father would still have access to the Dark Magician when it came time for him to need him. It just meant that it might make her job even harder than it already was.

Silently, Zahara crept farther down the stairs, finally reaching the hardened sand flooring. Her eyes kept locked on him as he perched upon a small stool. He fingered the ring and muttered to himself in such a way she almost thought that there was someone else in the room with them. She allowed her gaze to travel momentarily just to make sure there really was no one else there. Satisfied they were alone, Zahara decided it was time to make her move. Her voice was silenced however when Bakura acknowledged her presence.

"Do you really think that I would not be able to sense you within my own domain, Precious?" His voice was still as dark as she remembered from her own time, only this one had a slightly rougher tone to it. As if he was even older than he really was. A hint of exhaustion tinted the edges of it, but she had the feeling that he would never own up to it. "I mean, you're in my land now. Though I am not entirely certain how you, in your modern age, managed to find your way here to this time.  But you are within my own realm.  The rules are different here."

Zahara forced a smile as she came out of the shadows, shedding her travel cloak. "I really should have known better than to underestimate your greatness, Bakura." She locked her gaze with him, allowing him to break it as his roamed over her attire. "You always were good at knowing your surroundings... And how to handle them..." Her voice was almost a direct purr by the end of her words. She watched the questioning look flash over his features.  

"Is that so?"

 _Sell it, Zahara,_  she prodded herself when she heard the incredulous tone in his voice.  She knew she could not make it sound too wanting as she had been trying to resist him from the start.  To suddenly be there acting as if she belonged would be enough for anyone to have doubt.  She knew she had to tread carefully. "Mm-hmm..." She looked around, attempting to feign comfort in her surrounding. "Since we met, all you have done was try to tempt me to your side.  Show me that the darkness was within me and that you were best to bring it out.  It had appeared that was all you wanted.  You knew our last moments there in the modern world, that I was in a position to fall.  You had me.  I'm not sure what happened, but you had me.  Then you left.  Did my acceptance come on a bit too strong for someone as powerful as you?  Did it startle you?  That a being that had been walking with the light for so long may have finally reached the darkness within her and found herself drawn to you?" 

She continued to step closer to him as she spoke.  She watched him eye her carefully.  It made her wonder how much of what she said to him was actually more true that she originally thought.  She began to wonder if he really had experienced something more back in that church and if that was what scared him away.  She wondered because she knew it had scared her.  She reached out and allowed her fingertips to pass over the scar on his face.  Her heart felt heavy to the emotion that filled her.  Something had happened to this man.  Something terrible.  And to that, he felt the only way to survive was to be just as terrible.  There was no way she could fool him.  She no longer wanted to.  Something inside her told her that truth was the only way to reach him and he had to feel that truth.  He had to feel the truth from her soul if he was to believe her.  This was something she was sure of.

He had not moved when she touched his face.  It was as if he had stopped breathing.  he continued to watch her, not entirely sure what was happening.  He spent so much time in the modern world tempting and toying with her until the night in the church.  That pull he had suddenly felt with her made him question everything.  He thought he had left her behind and he would be able to concentrate, but there she was.  In his homeland.  Not searching for her parents.  She had been searching for him.  "Why are you here?  Shouldn't you be looking for your parents?"

Zahara shrugged.  "They will find me when the game permits them to," she told him simply.  "I was given a choice when I entered this world on where I could wake up.  I searched for you.  You were the one I wished to see.  We have unfinished business, you and I."  She chose to change the subject when she felt his breath catch.  Turning she looked up at the hole in the rooftop.  "I like it here.  It's quite the hideout.  One could look up and watch the stars if one so chose to.  People tend to forget that sometimes simplicity is the way to go," she idly commented, glancing up at the sky through the roofless building.  "It can bring far more peace than anything else."

"Simplicity... Right..."

"You don't believe me..."  She turned to look at him again, knowing she was bathed in the light of the moon.  "I'm hurt."

"I'm sure you are, Princess. Forgive me if I have no belief that your intentions here are anything but honest."

Zahara dared the fates and stepped closer to him, watching him as his body seemed to tense. "Since when have I ever been less than honest with you?"  She chuckled softly when he arched his eye and opened his mouth to speak.  "Fair enough, there have been a couple of times, and yet even then, you have to give me credit. I had been fairly forthright with my defiance.  What did you expect when I first learned who you were?  The Great Thief King.  Enemy to my family.  I never knew if you wanted to make love to me, or kill me, or both."  She grinned slightly when she saw the acknowledgment of her words in his eyes.  "You never cared for my family.  You made no secret that you wanted them all to suffer.  You wanted them dead.  So I never knew what to expect from you.  Still don't know what to expect and yet, I am here. Trusting you with my life. Knowing full well you could snap me like a twig and destroy any magic within me.  Still, I sought you out.  I stand before you, now. Awaiting whatever may come."

"You have a death wish."

Zahara gave a tiny shake of her head. Her voice was clear. Steady. Unwavering. "No, I do not."

"Why will you not run?"

"Because you will not kill me."

Bakura arched an eyebrow at her. "You are quite certain?"

She nodded. "I am." Her breath hissed in when she suddenly felt a whooshing of air and then became acutely aware of his body dangerously close to hers. His fingers wrapped around her neck from behind, forcing her head to tilt back, exposing the tender flesh even more. She forced herself to remain calm.  She did not want to ruin what she had started.  She had to show complete trust.  Forcing her heart to slow and her body not to instinctively attempt to fight, she released herself to his power.  "You are not like the other darkness I have faced.  You could be even darker.  But you will not harm me.

"I could crush you here and now, and no one would ever know..."

Her eyes closed as his breath ghosted over her ear.  It made her heart beat hard, but not in fear.  Her body was beginning to react on its own accord once more.  This was Bakura.  His true form.  Not him within his vessel.  Not him hiding within the corridors of Ryou's mind.  They were not concealed within a dark soulroom.  This was the thief's flesh and blood body.  It was real, and warm, and she felt how her own body melded against him almost perfectly. She felt his other arm slide around her waist, pulling her tighter against him. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her desires in check and forced herself to remain still in his grip. "But you won't."

Zahara could almost feel the confusion ripple over him. She was showing him complete and utter faith and he was not sure how to view this. She remained still, keeping her heart steady. She did everything to keep any sense of fear from showing. After a short time, she found that it really was not so hard. The longer he held her against him, the less tense she became. It was almost exactly as it had been back in the church. A part of her was not sure if it was a good thing to feel that sort of comfort with him...

Or if she had finally gotten in over her head...

* * *

 


	7. History Lesson For A Princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

The Thief King continued to stare down at her and she watched the confusion fill his gaze. Part of him held her tightly, almost too tightly, while the other part of him carefully gripped her. It was as if he was conflicted. Let her go, keep clinging, or kill her on the spot. There were so many options in his head and Zahara could see each one like a slot machine in his mind. She was practically begging him to kill her. Just to see if he really would. Then again, she was hoping the part of him that fought so hard for her against the Dark Marik was still within him. She was not sure she yet understood that part of him, or why, but it was there once. Was it just because he was within Ryou at the time? Or was it really him?

Zahara remained still in his grasp. Listening to his breathing. There was almost a deep-throated growl coming from him and she felt his muscles twitch. He leaned in toward her and almost by instinct, she felt her eyelids begin to lower, her head tilted back. Her heart remained calm. She realized she held no fear. There was something there. But it wasn't fear. It was strong. Stronger than anything she would have ever begun to guess, but it wasn't fear.

His breath was warm against her cheek. She could sense him struggling to keep himself in check. Whatever it was she was feeling, it seemed to be hitting him even harder. Her breath caught when his lips grazed her neck. She felt his hand twist in her hair, pulling her head further backward. He lifted his head a moment before his lips found hers with a bruising force. Their energy swirled around them in a heated fury, as it had within the church.  But again, just as he had in the church, he suddenly released her and she felt herself nearly flung to the other side of the ruined structure, as far away from him as possible. She uttered a pained cry as her leg struck a large pile of stone and the side of her head met with a column. Stars swam in her vision and she gasped for breath.

Across the room, she could barely make out Bakura, hugging himself in the shadows of another pillar, trembling. His breath came in bursts, and his chest heaved. He turned partially to glance at her when he heard her cry and just watched her as she shifted in the sand, holding her head.

"What have you done to me?" He seethed at her. "What. Have. You. Done?"

"What have I done?" She asked him just as fiercely. "What have _I_ done?" Slowly she tried to stand. "I have been feeling such mixed emotions ever since Marik's tournament. Ever since you came for me. After Marik attacked me. And every time I think I have it figured out, you send a new twist. Yet you want to stand there and blame _me_? What have _you_ done to _me_ , Bakura?"

He stared at her for another moment. "I am wasting precious time needed to make my next move in this game of your father's and mine. That is what I am currently doing."

"But why? Why was this even necessary?"

"You really don't understand, do you?" He marched up to her and grabbed her roughly by the arm, dragging her the rest of the way to her feet, earning himself another pained cry from her as her injured leg attempted to give. "Look around you. Do you not see this destruction? Can you not smell the death around you? Your grandfather committed a grave act against my whole village. Perhaps it is time you received a history lesson. The true history lesson, not the one your tutors taught you as a child."

Zahara suddenly felt panic race through her veins.  "Wait, what are you doing?"

"This time, you will be coming with me as I claim my next prize. You will learn for yourself what the ancient guardians refused to tell you." There was a fierce roar of wind and the sand whipped up around them, stinging their skin before becoming so thick, they could not see through it. When it settled, they were no longer within the ruins.

Zahara recognized the area as being just outside the palace walls. The sky had grown dark with the approaching night. The palace guards could be seen keeping their watch. Bakura stepped forward, using the Millennium Ring to make them transparent enough to pass through the walls. He kept her close against him as they moved through the halls.

"You see, this Shadow Game has taken a new twist," he told her quietly. "The Future is starting to blend with the past. Your father may be able to control the Gods because of his knowledge of the future. But I continue to have a Power he does not." He glanced down at her. "This Ring, for example, allows me to remain undetected within the palace. Sure, your Mother might be able to sense me if she was seeking me, but I'm sure she is trying to find a way to help your father find what he needs to learn on his own. That alone will keep her too busy to be thinking of me. And as for you? She has your younger self to contend with. She probably isn't even seeking your presence at all."

Zahara frowned. She realized he could very well be correct. But she was more concerned with why he was bringing her inside the palace to begin with. Especially to this area in which she had never been allowed to go to as a child. As they moved about, she realized they were nearing the tablet room where the Shadow Ka tablets were kept. She could hear voices within the room but not yet make out what was being said. She took notice that Bakura had ceased speaking as well, creeping closer to the door.

Within the room, she saw Aknadin standing in the middle of a stone floor. He was staring down at High Priest Set who was speaking with pride over the success of their search for stronger ka that day. He continued to inform him that the search for Shadow creatures had greater than he ever anticipated.

Aknadin shook his head. "Set, you must release those innocent people immediately," the guardian protested. "They have done no wrong."

"No, if they are to be released, they will only return to the darkness that we have pulled from them. They will only return to create more harm."

"Set, they are free of the darkness that was once a part of them. You cannot punish them for crimes they have not done, especially when that darkness is no longer a part of them. I demand that you release them."

"I will not," Set argued.

Aknadin grew even more serious, his voice dark. "Set, I warn you. You are heading down a dangerous path. You must remember that you are supposed to be a guardian. You must begin to act like one. Keeping those innocent people does a great disgrace to the name of the pharaoh. Remember, Evil will cause Fear. And fear brings people to the realm of darkness. It will only bring more harm."

Set frowned and darted a glare up at the older man. "What is fear? What is the danger? What is more frightening than the demise of royal power? I am making sure that it is remembered where the true power lies within this land. I am doing this to protect the Pharaoh. It is the only way we will ever be able to defeat Bakura."

"But, Set-"

"Farewell, old man. I still have a lot of work to be done."

"Set, please wait!" Aknadin called after him. "You are making a mistake!" Realizing Set was no longer listening, Aknadin, fell to his knees, staring after the shadow of the younger guardian. "I should know. Long ago… I made the same mistake myself."

His voice had been near a whisper and Zahara almost didn't hear what he had said. She jumped when she felt the hum of the power of the Millennium Ring. She looked up to see Bakura utilizing it and using the light to shield him from view for a short time. She watched the older guardian jump up.

"Who's there?" He demanded coarsely.

Bakura stepped out of the shadows and began to laugh. The Ring began to glow even brighter and with a fling of his arm, Bakura was able to send Aknadin sailing through the air, slamming into the wall of the tablet sanctuary. He was sent flying through the air away from the wall and released, tumbling head over heels down the steps of the platform he had been standing upon. When his body came to a stop, Bakura raised a foot and slammed his heel into the older man's chest, continuing to laugh his most hearty, evil laugh.

"Seems we meet again," the thief chuckled down at Aknadin. "Only this time, you are alone, and I am not."

Zahara gasped and tried to scoot out of the way as Diabound made his appearance behind Bakura. He was different this time. Bigger, stronger. Zahara could not even begin to measure the power that Shadow Beast was harboring. Looking back at Aknadin, she realized there was no way he could manage this on his own. She opened her mouth to plead for Bakura to stop when she watched the thief peer down at the older guardian.

"You know, I could just remove your Millennium Eye, right here and now," he told him with a crazed grin. "But I have something even more amusing in mind. You see, we have a score to settle, you and I."

The older man just stared up at him, fear filling the gaze of his one good eye. "What score?"

"Need I remind you of your time in Kul Elna just a few short decades ago? You can't possibly have forgotten the village that helped you to create those little treasures you all hold so dear," Bakura continued as he fingered the Ring about his neck. "You see, I won't ever forget that day. It was the day you wiped out my village and everyone single person in it." He leaned more over the older man. "It was the day in which you abandoned your own son, Set. He doesn't even know, does he? That you are his Father? That he has a rightful place upon that throne? Of course not. Because he was brought up believing he was just a commoner who had to fight for his place among you."

 _Set was supposed to take the throne all along?_   Zahara wondered as she listened. She only knew that Set had won the throne in a battle against her father. She never considered that he might have actually been due the throne by blood should her father pass with no heir to take his place.

Aknadin groaned and began to struggle under Bakura's foot. "Release me at once!" He demanded through gritted teeth.

"You are in no position to be making any form of demands," Bakura spat at him.

"You won't get away with this!"

"Oh, but I have already begun," Bakura told him with an evil chuckle. He gripped the Millennium Ring. "I have already managed to take out one of your allies and I have his Ring to prove it. With this Ring, I am invincible!" He laughed as Aknadin stammered, not able to get his words to form. "You can't tell me that you are so truly upset by this? You, who headed up the massacre of Kul Elna."

"What are you talking about?"

Zahara watched as Bakura seethed above the older man. "You think you can just pretend it didn't happen? I was there, old man. I was the only one who survived."

"But, but, but, that's impossible!"

Bakura scoffed. "Forget about it. It was a very Dark Game and I no longer wish to play it. At least not how it was played the first time. You see, I can still see through you. You talk to that priest about returning souls when you still have the stains of your own history on your soul. You haven't really changed a bit." He reached down and hefted the older man to his feet. "That is why you will be working for me. I've waited three thousand years for this. It is time for my dream to be realized."

Zahara could not help the gasp that passed her lips as he reached forward and a surge of magical energy flowed from his Ring to the Eye, forcing the older man back to the ground. He was moaning under the effect of the strain and unable to move.

Bakura turned and cocked his head at Zahara. "Too much for you, princess? Shame you got yourself involved as now you will have to face this new end as well."

"Bakura, please…"  She begged him again.  "Why must it be this way? You said yourself that you no longer wished to play the Dark Game, but yet you are still moving forward. If you don't want to play, then just _stop_ … Stop this madness.  You aren't even alone anymore.  You don't have to be...  Just please, stop this..."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, princess." His attention was called and he stood away from the old man, turning to face her completely. "Now, two choices. You can stay here and try to explain your double existence here or you can continue to tag along." He moved before she even had a chance to open her mouth to answer. "Too late, you're coming with me." He stooped and swept her off her feet, jumping to the main floor before placing her down, taking her hand and forcing her to run with him out into the night.

He spied a horse near the doorway and grabbed her once more, throwing her onto the saddle before swinging up behind her. He gave a snap of the reigns and the wind begin to strike her face as the horse reared up and then moved into a full gallop. Five guards followed in pursuit until Bakura grinned and his beast loomed above them, swiping the guards away from his path. The thief gave a glance behind him and chuckled. "Seems your parents have taken the bait."

Zahara gasped, her hands gripping the saddle horn in an attempt to maintain her balance between his arms on the saddle, and her eyes went wide. "You mean…?"

"But of course. I am the number one most sought after thief of this time after all." He gave her a wolfish grin before snapping the reigns again, driving the horse onward. They could hear the growl of Sliefer as Yami called it forth to help him in his chase. Bakura laughed yet again. "The battle for mankind has begun again, only this time, I will be the victor!"

Zahara cringed when she heard her father calling out after them. She felt the muscles of the horse quivering and moving beneath her, forcing them to speed across the desert sand at a breakneck pace to put more distance between them and her parents.

"Perhaps its time to show off Diabound's newest ability," Bakura mused. He tilted his head up to his beast. "Diabound! Use Illusionary Shockwave to attack Sliefer!"

"Father, no!" Zahara cried out as Sliefer was struck and her father's horse stumbled. She heard her father's next attack called and heard both monsters battling above them as they ran. She felt Bakura cringe in pain as one of the dragon's attacks struck Diabound fully and caused the blow to be felt by the thief.

Bakura snarled and almost in the same instant grinned as he felt Zahara trembling in front of him. He stopped the horse and allowed the Pharaoh to catch up briefly. "You will pay for that strike," the thief promised him.

"You have forgotten just whom you are dealing with," Yami countered as he and Aurora rode up.

"No, it's you who have forgotten that this isn't like your little card tournaments. I am not some mere friend who just happens to be there. This is my arena. This is my game." He started to turn his horse around to face the royal pair as he wrapped one arm around Zahara to keep her in place. "And in this arena, I am the one who has the advantage."

Aurora gasped, her eyes wide at the sight of Zahara on the thief's horse. Yami stilled, staring at the pair. Zahara's heart raced and she found herself practically gasping for breath as she looked up at them apologetically.

_Mother, I'm sorry, I tried… I really tried…_

_I know, my daughter. I am sorry for putting you in that position._

Zahara bowed her head. _It is possible, I might still be able to help from here… I just don't know if I can make him see reason._

_Then don't. Get away from him so your father and I can stop him._

_He won't let me go…_

The mental conversation between mother and daughter was halted when Bakura called upon an attack of the city. He reared the horse up on hind legs, causing Zahara to fall back against his chest, before he turned and raced through the destruction that followed his command.

Yami gave chase yet again. "Stop this, Bakura! This fight is between you and me!"

Bakura laughed. "Ah, Pharaoh, but here's the game; Just how many lives can the Pharaoh really save?" Diabound descended on two children standing helpless in the street. But before Diabound's attack could reach them, Sliefer intervened, saving them. They ran as Sliefer continued to absorb Diabound's attacks. Bakura tilted his head at the scene thoughtfully. "I wonder just how much abuse Sliefer can endure trying to protect everyone. I guess we'll see.

The villagers ran, and Bakura stopped atop a building at the end of an alley. "Looks like a dead end, Pharaoh," the thief taunted as the Pharaoh rode up below him. "So much for saving your villagers."

Yami growled. "So long as I live and breathe, no more harm shall befall the people of my kingdom, Bakura!" He brought his hand up and commanded Sliefer once more. "I refuse to allow you to place them all in any more danger. Sliefer, take this fight to the skies!" The battle was fierce as the two monsters clashed head-on. Sliefer grabbed Diabound's serpent tail in its teeth and carried it up into the sky. "At least in this way, my people will be safe."

Bakura balked. "Your Sliefer might control the skies, but my Diabound commands the darkness, making him infinitely more powerful." Diabound reappeared near him. "You see, my creature has the ability to move in shadow, and by the time it reveals itself, it's already too late!" There was an attack blast out of nowhere and Zahara whimpered as she watched her father double over in pain as Sliefer was struck. "I have to wonder, just how should I finish this battle, Pharaoh? Should I destroy Sliefer? Or the city? Or perhaps," he started, turning back and gripping Zahara's hair in a way her head was raised to meet her parents. "Perhaps I should have Diabound just crush you and your family."

"Stop, Bakura! Let her go!" Yami ordered.

Bakura grinned. "There is still another way we can end this; a way for you to save your people and your family. Surrender your Millennium Puzzle to me and I will leave you and the villagers alone."

Zahara began to struggle as she watched her father begin to contemplate his options. "No, Father, please don't! You mustn't hand it over to him!"

Yami stared at her from where he sat upon his horse. He noticed her fight harder against the thief when he removed the puzzle from around his neck. Zahara attempted to plead with her father again as Bakura began to laugh.

"Get off your horse, Pharaoh. Kneel before me!" Bakura laughed deeply, thinking he had won when his joy was choked off by an unexpected command cut through the night.

"Sliefer, Now!" The Dragon began to fly toward Bakura, and Zahara tried to break free. _Trust me, Zahara… I won't strike you…_ Yami tried to comfort her as the dragon grew closer. "Call off your Diabound, Bakura!"

"I don't think so, Pharaoh! Two can play at that game!" As Sliefer bent over him with teeth beared to snap over his head, Diabound appeared behind Yami with his claws poised to crush him. "This may look like a draw, but looks can be deceiving. Now, Diabound, destroy the Pharaoh!"

Zahara's fearful cry was stopped when another monster lept into the battle to defend the Pharaoh from the thief. She heard her father acknowledge in shock that it was Priest Set's monster and they all looked behind the Pharaoh to see Set and the other guardians riding toward them.

Bakura growled in frustration, rearing his horse up again. "It seems the odds are not in my favor at this time. But I still have my advantage," he grinned to Yami and Aurora as he started to race onward again, disappearing into the shadows.

The Ring began to glow about his neck and it was not long before Zahara realized they were back within the ruins of Bakura's village. Bakura halted the horse and climbed off, reaching to grasp her and bring her down with him. He kept her close for a moment before she began to struggle against him. He frowned as he allowed her to march a short distance away.

"I just don't get it, Bakura. You talk about all this destruction that you witnessed and went through and how it damaged you, yet you willingly set out to do the very same thing that made you this way!"  She spun to face him.  "I just don't understand why you would want to be the monster you claim my Father's guardians are. It doesn't make sense."

"You weren't there, Zahara. The Dark Ritual that created the Millennium Items requires one major ingredient." He watched her as she frowned, trying to think. "Sacrifice, Princess. Human sacrifice. Many, many lives. Oh sure, the Priests all called them dark and evil souls, but not all of my people were evil. What those priests did…" Bakura halted a moment trying to get a grip on his voice. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You weren't there."

She had begun to pace, her back turned to him when he started to speak.  But his words made her freeze. She wasn't sure if it was the quiet tone in his voice, or if it was because he actually used her name. She turned and looked at him. "No, Bakura, I wasn't. I wasn't even born back then so I couldn't honestly know.  But because some people pulled a craptastic evil against you, you think even those who are innocent deserve to be hurt.  Instead of focusing on the priests who did you wrong, you would rather take out an entire country and then allow the same darkness that turned your heart to fill this world."

Bakara stalked forward and grabbed a hold of her wrist. She cringed at first expecting searing pain, but found surprise to strike her system when it was almost a tender grip. The kind of grip that demanded someone to just listen. "If only you could get the visions your mother could.  Maybe then you could feel the things I felt.  Maybe then you could understand."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I could have just shown you. Shown you the evil I witnessed first hand."

Zahara eyed him curiously. Something in his voice was twisting. Changing.  She heard his pain and his suffering.  She heard the hurt he had masked for all the years he had lived.  She began to feel some of what she had always seen in his eyes but never fully understood. She sighed and bowed her head. She suddenly found herself very tired of fighting and resisting.  She was tired of gameplay.  She wanted full honesty in any way she could find it. "Maybe there is still a way…"

"Oh," he asked her, eyeing her curiously.

"There is more than one way to coax out a vision," she informed him quietly. She stepped closer to him, watching him as he watched her warily. "I don't suppose you would trust me enough to try it though, right now, hmm?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"How close do you need to be?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "Close enough to touch you. Be allowed within your mind."

He was hesitant at first.  He considered the last few times they had been close enough for any form of touch, intimate or otherwise.  After a moment, he gave a silent snort of amusement before sitting on a large, flat rock that was almost like a throne room chair in front of her, he swung his leg carelessly over the side of the rock. "You really can't do anything worse than what you have already done."

She could not help the slight grin that tugged at her lips. She let it fade when he looked up at her.   She let her eyes try to convey that she was done with any games.  She was serious.  She was tired.  She just wanted to understand and do what she needed to do.  "Just relax. It's just memories I am viewing. I won't be able to do any damage."

Bakura continued to watch her as she gently pulled his leg down so he was seated more directly in front of her instead of off to the side.  His breath caught as she stepped up and knelt over his lap, a leg on either side of him.  He was suddenly very unsure if he should have agreed to this method as his body warmed against hers.  He lifted his arms minutely as if to attempt to remove her from his lap, but when she made no effort to tease or taunt him as he had expected her to, he lowered his arms again, shrugged, and closed his eyes as she placed her hands at the temples on either side of his head. 

"I need you to completely trust me," she whispered as she stared down at him.  "No matter what happens, I need your trust or this won't work."

"You are straddled over my lap and you as asking me to trust you?"

She grinned down at him.  "I am already trusting you to behave yourself," she murmured.  "Now, like I said, I need you to trust me."

He was quiet a moment, watching her intently as she refused to move until she had his answer.  He could not understand what it was about this princess.  Why he was so drawn to her.  He could not understand how he could not think clearly when she was around or why he felt the desire to make her smile and know that it was _him_ that was bringing her joy.  He knew his body craved her.  But with the softest voice, she could command him into obedience.  Yet another thing that he did not like.  He wanted control.  But this woman... she had it all.

"Do I have to have my hands to my side?"

She arched an eyebrow at him.  "Would you find more comfort in this position if they were elsewhere?"

He chuckled and he wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer against him.  "I'd rather this position."

She shrugged slightly.  "That is fine.  It actually helps for what I am about to do."  She watched his playful grin begin to fade and she shook her head.  "Trust me?"

"I know I shouldn't."  He stared up at her a moment before nodding.  "I trust you." 

She nodded and leaned forward, her hands on either side of his face as her lips brushed his.  She felt him freeze beneath her.  She dared not move again except to close her eyes, allowing the transfer point between them to open as she attempted to reach the memories he had wanted her to find.  There was a flash of light and images began to appear. She figured these were memories stolen from many people Bakura was once familiar with.

* * *

**flashback**

The flames rose high in the coming darkness over the desert. Kul Elna was ablaze with light and smoke, screams filling the sky. Guards on horses thundered through the streets. Aknadin paused, looking around at his troupe and shouting commands.

"Kul Elna, the thieves' village, is the source of evil. Everyone here is possessed with the darkest spirits known and are now the cause of all of the chaos. Their evil has angered the gods and they must be destroyed! Don't let anyone escape!"

Bakura as a small child hid in the shadows, watching in horror, as his fellow villagers, family, and friends, were herded into an underground cavern. He listened as Aknadin began to recite a spell and a cauldron of molten gold was poured into a large stone mold.

"Using these living human sacrifices, this rite will be completed to its perfection," Aknadin was heard saying to no one in particular.

Sometime later, the mold was broken with mallets and the guards began to retrieve the Millennium Items. They had barely managed to get ahold of them before the ground rumbled and began to split open around them. As Bakura watched, the guard holding the Millennium Ring lost his footing and fell into the chasm. All the others were thrown to the side by a surge of power and the stone tablet that had been used to make the Items began to rise from where it had fallen in the chasm, the Millennium Ring in place. Cries and screams of fear echoed in the cavern from the guards as they all tried to scramble free. The ring lifted from the tablet and began to glow, sending Aknadin and his men roughly against the walls that were still standing.

In the darkness, a shadowy form rose up from the chasm and the monster took hold of Aknadin with its clawed hand, lifting him high off the ground. He snarled at the priest when it was demanded what he wanted.

"Return the treasures to their resting place," the monster demanded darkly.

Aknadin remained firm in his place within the monster's grip. He opened his hand to reveal the Millennium Eye. "These items belong to us," he informed the beast as he forced the eye into his own skull. "Now, unhand me!"

The monster dropped him and he raced toward the tablet to pick up the Ring. The monster faded from sight and Aknadin ordered his people to leave at once. They all ran from the cavern.  As Zahara watched the memory play out, the darkness turned and gazed upon the one remaining villager.  A young child with snow-white hair and innocent brown eyes.  The darkness seemed to smile a slow, evil smile and the child trembled.  The darkness reached out to the child and slowly, the little boy stretched a small hand out to it.  

"You will be the Chosen One," the darkness told the boy.  "You will rise up and see those who have violated this land are punished.  I will help you attain the power you seek to take vengeance against those who spilled blood on this land today."

The little boy stared up at the darkness, his gaze unwavering.  The darkness laughed.  

"Gain strength, young one.  You will not be alone.  Your time will come."

* * *

Zahara moaned softly as the vision faded.  She pulled back from the kiss but rested her forehead against his as she swallowed hard.  "So that's why you hate my family so much.  The priests who guard them left you alone.  They took everything away from you.  You told me.  I heard you.  But to see it..."  She shifted and gazed down into his eyes.  "I was drawn to you.  Not just to your darkness but to your truth.  Because you were right.  What was taken from you, had been eventually taken from me.  We do have some common memories. Common feelings.  When apart, you and I were always feeling alone.  But together, you and I, that feeling doesn't exist.  We were pulled together.  Sharing a common pain." 

Zahara had to stop herself from speaking.  Her heart pounded hard in her chest.  She was suddenly afraid that she was too close to him.  But as much as she feared it, she did not want to leave him.  "All this time," she whispered.  "I felt alone.  But you knew me.  You knew everything I kept hidden.  Because you had to keep things hidden, too.  You understood."  She brushed back strands of white hair away from his face.  "I resisted you, but in the end, the truth is clear..."

"What truth is that, Precious?"  Bakura chanced asking her.  

Zahara swallowed hard again to steady her breath.  "I tried to convince myself it was him I wanted.  That I belonged with... your light... But I was wrong."

"Wrong?"

"It was you,"  she whispered with trembling lips.  "It was always you..."  She leaned in to steal another kiss from him.  Her fingers laced themselves in his long hair as she deepened the kiss. 

There was a brief hesitation before Bakura's arms tightened their hold around her, his hands reaching up along her back to her shoulders, keeping her in place on his lap.  Through their kisses, he could feel everything she had kept back behind her walls.  He realized that was what had been happening when they had kissed before.  Her shields weakened.  She had no walls to break.  She had complete trust in him.  She always had.  She fought it, trying to be fair to his vessel, but each time she had come into contact with him, she had been pulled that much closer to him.  The darkness he used to tease her about, truly was what she had craved.  She was there with him.  She was there of her own will.  She was his.

The realization struck him hard and his lips left hers, moving to her neck where he felt her pulse beat just under his lips.  He heard the gasp of pleasure as his teeth left the mark on the soft skin, his nails running the length of her back.  He felt her hand at the base of his head, keeping his mouth at her neck as her body trembled with the emotions running through her. He lifted his head when he felt her hand removed from it and he stared up at her.  He drank in the lust in his dark blue eyes.  His body reacted to her just looking at her.  A voice in his head warned him about his choices.  The voice tried to remind him about his mission.  He reached up and touched the side of her face.  

"Bakura..." she whimpered against his touch, her eyes closed as she leaned against his hand.  

"Princess..."  He groaned as she shifted on his lap, trying to gain a slightly more comfortable position.  He put his hands on her hips, forcing her to stop her movements.  "Why did you have to pick right now?" He asked her with a lustful growl.  

She kissed him again.  "To be fair, we had other opportunities and you always shoved me away."

"You saying you would have permitted it?"

"You never even gave me the chance to say no.  We kissed, you ran..."

"And now?"

She swallowed hard.  "Don't leave me alone, 'Kura," she whispered against his lips, shattering the last of his resolve.

He pulled her down to taste her lips again.  He silenced the voice in his head.  All he knew in that moment was Zahara and the desire they felt.  All he knew was his instinct to keep her from feeling sadness or harm in any way.  All he wanted was to complete the feeling that she gave him in only the way that she could.  He was no longer alone.  It was as if his vengeance was no longer a thought whenever she said his name.  And when his tongue danced with hers, the fire they created threatened to burn them both. 

"Za'ra," he breathed as her nails slid over his shoulders and down his back.   His own hands curved over her waist to grip her bottom, relishing the feel of its softness in his hands.   

His hips bucked once uncontrollably beneath her when her teeth nipped at his ear.  He was about to pick her up for a more comfortable position when a sudden pain jolted through him and he cringed, hugging her almost too tight as the pain raced through him like a bolt of lightning.  In that instant, their mood was broken and the voice reminding him of his mission returned.  Both had forgotten that while they remained hidden within the cavern, his Diabound was still in a battle with Sliefer.  His pain was a reminder that the battle had not yet ended, and he was still vulnerable to attack.

"I didn't realize your Father could be led so easily," he commented idly.  Lust still simmered in his gaze as he looked upon her, but for the moment, their time was over.  He was back in the mindset of his game.  "It's time we settle this once and for all." He picked her up and set her down in front of him as he stood to make his appearance to the Pharaoh, halted only when he felt his hand taken. He turned a dark glare at her. "You can't stop this, Princess.  No matter how I feel, it's too late.  Vengeance must be taken.  I must continue as I was supposed to."

Zahara swallowed hard.  "I get it now… What you witnessed… what happened to your people, friends, family… it's devastating. But how can you be certain that it was my grandfather that ordered such destruction? And my Father? And Mother? My father has been good to you. Even knowing who you are, he has still been good to you. Fought for you even. How can you possibly believe that it is my bloodline that ordered this?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Me… How can you believe I would seek out harm for you?"

He glared down at her, but he did not move as he listened to her. "You?" He gave a sharp bark of laughter and shook his head.   It was his turn to use the words she had once used against him.  "You wouldn't hurt me."  He watched her carefully.  He no longer saw mistrust in her eyes he used to see.  He saw complete faith and trust.  He also saw something more that he was not so certain she would ever truly admit to.  "But for different reasons." He lost the humor in his eyes when he realized his taunt earned him no fighting response. He tilted his head to look more at her, appearing almost defeated in front of him.

" 'Kura… please, I beg of you… You have the heart of an innocent… the darkness I saw in your memories... it's using you for it's own purpose. That vision… tell me you saw it? That shadow. That monster. You were left behind. You were broken, alone, and it sought you for its perfect pawn. But I know you, 'Kura.  You are stronger than that.  You...  you are no one's pawn in any game.  And you are not alone anymore. Please don't play the pawn in this Dark game to be ruled by that monster.  Be your own Master.  Take control of your own destiny."

He snarled. "I am no innocent, Princess! That Priest made sure of that. Now the royal family will finally pay for what they did to my people!"

"Even me?" Zahara dared to look up at him, her lips trembling. She always knew there was something about him that didn't quite fit. Like a puzzle piece that just did not belong no matter which way it was spun. The vision of his memories finally made everything make at least a little bit more sense to her. She knew she felt it. She knew she saw it. As evil as he could be, there was still a softness to him. It was never imagined.

"Save it," he scoffed, and she realized he answered without really answering her. He watched her as she stood before him again, her head bowed.

He watched her fidget with the thin chain that wrapped around her waist. When she looked up at him, she pulled off the rest of the headdress she had been wearing that allowed her hair flow freely about her shoulders, but not before his eyes dropped to the scars left near her neck from the Millennium Rod. He felt something in his chest twist as he remembered seeing her after she escaped Marik's prison. He remembered the anger that he felt at her being touched in a manner no one was to do. He remembered trying to pass it off as no one hurts her but him, only to realize that was not exactly why he reacted the way he did.

She looked up at him then, her eyes dark, but not filled with anger. Filled with emotions, Bakura could not entirely be sure of. He had teased her about them, but he never actually believed that he would see them. But there she was, the Princess, standing before him, pleading for him to cease the attacks, to spare her and her family. Part of him was enraged by it, as if she could just turn a pretty pout and make him stop what he has spent centuries preparing for. But another part of him felt tempted.

He stepped up to her, tilting his head to look down at her. So vulnerable, she was there. He could kill her right then and there as the voice demanded him to do. Be done with it and deal the Pharaoh a crushing blow. Save himself the torrent of emotion he was currently experiencing faster than a speeding bullet. He raised his hands up to her shoulders. They caressed the sides of her neck and he felt her swallow hard, trusting him and yet resigning herself to whatever fate that was to come to her.  Gazing down at her like that, he suddenly hated himself. He knew what he had to do.  And it killed him.

"Love is a fool. Love is the evil beast sometimes. Love can both create... and destroy." Bakura let the words fall from his lips as he continued to gaze over her. "Your heart aches. And this time not for what you expected it to. Something was revealed to you this night. Sure, I could end you. Easily. And I still just might." He leaned in and kissed her tenderly. "Because something tells me when I win this battle against your father, you will not willingly stand beside me when I command the world."

She refused to move either closer or back. She remained in his grasp. She could hear the footfalls of her parents' horses, as well as others. She knew the game was about to twist. She was running out of time. It was now or never. "Spare them, 'Kura, please… and I will be yours. Willingly."

He arched an eyebrow. "Now that is a tempting bargain to be throwing out there. But I don't think that would gain me what I am needing here."

"Who needs Millennium items when you can access the destructive power that I hold within me?" She knew she might be pressing her luck, but she had to say something. "Bakura, I am offering you so much more than what you are after. You can destroy my parents on an emotional level. Believe me, that hurts more than any physical mark…"

"Is that so?"

Zahara nodded, remembering her experience. "Yes."

"You think this is a fair trade then?"

"Yes, Bakura. I do."

There was a moment of silence and his face twisted as if he was listening to something no one else could hear.  He laughed then. "I love how you royals think sometimes," he jeered. "Honestly, to think the Princess would remain with a common thief." His voice darkened with his gaze. "You almost had me there, Princess," he told her, tightening his hold on her arm. "You almost had me."

"Bakura!"

They both turned their heads up to the opening of the cavern when they heard the Pharaoh calling down to him.

"Why, Pharaoh! Welcome to my humble abode," Bakura called back up to him with an exaggerated bow.

"Face me, Bakura!" Yami ordered. "It's time that we put an end to this once and for all!"

"For once, I have to agree with you, Pharaoh," Bakura chuckled as he began to climb up to meet him. "It is time. But I don't think you are going to like how this battle ends."

"Pharaoh, lure his beast out of the darkness so that we may finally be able to defeat it," Priest Set called out to the young king.

Bakura rose an arm out in front of him calling upon his ka beast. "Diabound, attack Sliefer with Helical Shock Wave!"

"Sliefer, counter with Thunderforce Strike!"

There was a mangled cry in the sky and Slifer reared back just as Diabound struck. The Sky god spun and lost its head in the attack, causing shouts of pain and anguish and shock to go through the group. Aurora reached out to Yami as he tilted dangerously off to the side of his saddle.

"Duos, attack with Aura Sword!" Set commanded, his monster sending its attack toward Diabound.

Bakura laughed. "Do you really think I would allow you to hit my monster?" There were gasps as a different monster revealed itself.

Aurora kept a hand on Yami as he struggled to maintain consciousness. "Yami? Yami, please, hang in there…"

"We… we must… fight on…" Yami managed to cough out. "We can't give up now…" His voice trailed and Aurora lost her own balance as he lost consciousness and began to fall from his horse. She landed hard to the ground, keeping him close to her.

"Pharaoh! Gods, no… please wake up…" Aurora listened as Set and the other guards continued their battle against Bakura, but she kept her energy focused, trying to give him enough to wake up. "Don't give up, my love. You must wake up!" She reached into a satchel at her belt and withdrew a ring with a red stone shining in its setting. It was the Ring of her own kind. The ring that matched the powers Yami had been granted by Rhenn. She hoped it would be enough to help bring him back. She was startled when more familiar voices surrounded her and more hands reached out to her pharaoh.

"Yami! We found you!"

"Yugi?" Aurora looked up and breathed a sigh of relief. "You made it. You found us!" Her heart beat harder with the joy that flooded it. She knew the tides were getting ready to change. Everything was in place. Now they just had to wake him up.

"Hey, Miss. Aurora," Yugi greeted with a smile. "It wasn't easy, but it looks like we got here just in time."

She nodded and smiled brighter as she felt the Pharaoh stir in her arms. Yugi and Joey reached out hands to help him to stand and they watched him stare at them in wonder.

"Is it really you, Yugi? Are you really here?"

"You can see us, yay!" Yugi's eyes shone with his happiness. "I told you we would find a way, Yami."

"Are you okay?" Joey asked Yami.

Bakura seethed at the sight of them and he did not even bother to turn when he felt Zahara coming up behind him. "Coming to gloat?"

"No."

"How did those brats find their way here, anyway?"

"Probably, the same way that I did," she answered with a shrug. She was no longer in the mood to taunt him. She tried to convince him and it failed. She knew nothing she did would work until he saw for himself that he had become the pawn. She started to walk passed him when he reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Where do you think you are going?"

She shrugged again, keeping all emotion void from her face. "You've already made up your mind to destroy my family. I might as well take my place so you can destroy me as well." She winced when his grip tightened.

"You are going nowhere, princess. You are going to stay and watch the rest of this little Game play out."

Yugi reached out and took Yami's hand. "We are a team, Yami. Don't forget. I told you that we would be with you until the end. We will face this darkness together and we will win."

Aurora's heart beamed with pride and Yami shook his head with a smile, but stopped and stared in wonder as he felt the surge of energy flowing through him from Yugi and from the ring Aurora had placed upon his hand. He grasped Yugi's hand tighter and took a stronger hold on Aurora's as well. He looked at his wife with a slight question in his eyes and watched as she smiled.

"It's time, Pharaoh," she told him with a light kiss on his cheek. "Your friends are with you. I am with you. You have the energy that you need. It's time."

Yami turned from them and faced Bakura. "Your reign of terror is over, Bakura!" He raised his arm wearing his Diadiankh to the air. "Come forth, great God! Come forth, Winged Dragon of Ra!"

Clouds began to fill the sky, and then bright rays of light filtered through them. Bringing light to the darkened desert. Bakura scowled as he saw the light give away his monster's position, making him visible for everyone to see.

"It can't be!" Bakura exclaimed. "How can he summon a beast so powerful?"

"Because he is my Father. He is the Pharaoh. And he has his friends. He is not alone. What he was missing three thousand years ago is now currently standing with him." Zahara sighed. "I tried to convince you to stop before it was too late." She looked up at him with a sort of sadness in her eyes. "I tried to spare you what is to come, Bakura.  I tried to offer you something more.  I honestly tried to save you."

"I don't need saving," he spat at her before he turned back to face the greatest of all the gods.

"More than you could ever possibly know…"

* * *

 


	8. Like Sands of an Hourglass...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

"It's the Egyptian Sun god, the Winged Dragon of Ra!" Set exclaimed as he raised an arm to shield his eyes from the sudden light as the dragon appeared and hovered over the Pharaoh and his friends.

Bakura seethed. "It doesn't make any sense, when Sliefer was taken out, it should have rendered the Pharaoh powerless. How in the hell did he find the strength to call upon yet another god?"

"I would have thought that answer was simple."

Bakura half-turned toward his captive and eyed her angrily. "Don't push your luck, Princess."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Zahara returned evenly. She gave a sigh. "Just didn't think I would have had to point out something so obvious." She nodded in the direction of her father. "See over there? He has people standing with him who weren't here the first time. Even my mother is now present. But it is the fact that he has been reunited with Yugi that his life-force has been restored."

Bakura growled and turned back to face the Pharaoh and his friends. "No matter," he said, preparing his energy for the next attack. "My Diabound now has the power of an Egyptian God. Diabound! Attack with Thunderforce!"

The Shadow Beast sent force its attack only to be met with Duos and his Aura Sword for defense. The Pharaoh nodded his thanks to his friend and turned to glance at Aurora. There were no words spoken as she merely nodded to him. He turned back and turned his head up to Ra.

"Winged Dragon of Ra, I seek thee! Transform into your strongest form yet! Become the Winged Dragon Phoenix!"

A flash of fire flew up from Aurora beside him and enveloped the Golden Dragon, changing the god into it's most feared form. The Dragon let out a screech and surged forward toward Diabound. The monster let out a howl that echoed in the skies as the attack struck its mark. Zahara screamed, terrified, as beside her, Bakura suddenly became alight with flames. She stood there, frozen as she watched on in horror. When Bakura fell to the ground, she fell to her knees beside him, torn between wanting to touch him, hold him, and being too scared to touch him. Her heart felt twisted in so many ways as she stared down at his burnt, still body. The smell of charred flesh made her stomach lurch and she forced herself to choke back the desire to retch. She tried to close her eyes, but she could not tear them away from the thief laying there. She knew she should be running from him now that he was down, but she couldn't bring herself to leave him alone.  He had been alone his entire life.  She did not feel right leaving him at that moment.

"You've spent so many years alone," she whispered, tearfully. "You lived with this evil for so long with no one really standing by your side." A tear slid down her cheek and she finally closed her eyes. "It didn't have to be like this, Bakura. I wish you would have listened to me.  I wish you could have believed me, trusted me."  She bowed her head over him.  "I never got to tell you..." She choked back another wave of nausea when she moved to kiss the top of his head.  Her next words to him were spoken at barely a whisper. "Foolish Thief... of all of the treasures you could have taken... you stole my heart...  I loved you, 'Kura..."

She looked up at the sound of cheering and took note of her family and friends all gleefully jumping and punching the air above their heads in joy. They all believed the war to be done. The darkness was no more. She only hoped in part that was true. As she looked back down at the Thief, her mind began to wonder as small bursts of power could be felt around her. His lifeless eye stared up from beneath his charred white hair, but there seemed to be something hidden within the depths of that brown eye.

Hearing startled shouts, she looked up as the wind began to blow furiously around them all, the sand stinging skin and eyes alike. She could hear her parents shouting for her to get away and run with them. She was just about to stand when she gasped at the sight of Ra in its Phoenix form followed by Diabound back in the sky.

"It can't be…" she whispered. "Time… moving backward? But, how?" She stood and turned in time to see Yugi and his friends ripped away from her father by the sandstorm and a chasm began to appear in front of her parents. Sliefer reappeared in the sky then as Ra disappeared and Diabound attacked Sliefer. A scream froze in her throat when she felt a hand reach out and take hold of her arm.

"Now, to pick up where I left off," Bakura's gruff voice said, his eyes hard and cold, staring only at the Pharaoh.

Zahara stared at him, wide-eyed, her mouth opening and closing, attempting to find her voice again upon realizing Bakura was no longer lifeless on the ground at her feet. "B-but, how…?"

"Time reversal, spell, princess," Bakura explained simply before ordering his Diabound to attack Sliefer yet again. He laughed while Zahara stared in horror as her father suffered from the attack his dragon took.

Weakened from the strike, the Pharaoh struggled to remain standing, Aurora moving to stand beside him, a hand on his chest to keep him upright.

"What have you done, Bakura?" Zahara asked him fearfully.

"I merely bought back myself some time," the thief grinned. "Now, Diabound, let's try this again, shall we?"

Zahara watched on as the monster struck, its aim hitting just in front of her parents, opening the ground up beneath them. "Mother! Father! No!" she screamed, watching them both disappear beneath the ground. She jerked herself free of Bakura's hold and raced toward the edge.

"Aurora!"

Zahara heard her father's pained shout for her mother and her heart fell when there was no response. She knelt down at the edge when she could see her father clinging to it for his life. "Father, take my hand!" She called out to him, reaching out to him. She felt his fingertips graze her own before she was jerked back away from him. She shrieked and spun, pounding on Bakura's chest furiously. "Let me go, you bastard! Let me go!"

Her rage mingled with her fear and the tears that fell from her eyes could be heard in her tone. It was a heart-wrenching sound and she was too busy striking his immovable body to notice the grimace that flashed across his face when he heard that note of desperation and loss in her voice. This was a pain he knew too well and he was watching the only one who had ever tried to reach out to him at his lowest point, go through all the emotions he once felt all at one fleeting moment. His grip loosened only briefly before tightening again.

"Forgive me, princess," he murmured before he spun her around, his arm snaking around her neck, adding a brief amount of pressure, not to kill her, but merely to render her unconscious so that she would be unable to strike him further and he may continue. He stepped closer to the ridge again and peered over the side. "Seems the tables have turned," he said as he reached down and removed the Millennium puzzle from around Yami's neck.

"What have you done?" Yami asked fearfully, his eyes strained at Zahara's unconscious form in the Thief's arms.

"She's alive," he assured the Pharaoh. "But she won't be joining you, however. And where you are going, you will have no use for this." He held up the Puzzle in victory before he stomped on the ground just above Yami's hand, causing the ground to give and sending the pharaoh plunging into the darkness his wife had already fallen into. "Enjoy your stay in the Shadow Realm," he says as he placed the puzzle around his neck and lifted Zahara into his arms, just to throw her over his shoulder. He heard Yugi and the others as they made their second appearance but flashed them a grin and started to walk away with a wave.

* * *

 


	9. Together Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

The world slowly began to come back into focus as Zahara's eyes opened. She resisted the urge to groan as she tried to stretch and look around. She realized that she was once more in the underground cavern of Kul Elna. Anger filled her heart as she remembered what had taken place just before she blacked out. Fear struck her as she realized she had no clue what had happened. Sitting up, she saw Bakura kneeling on the Millennium Stone. He was just far enough away that she could not make out what he was saying as he placed the Puzzle and the Ring into the stone. As she watched, the Ring began to glow. Carefully, she stood and made her way closer toward him.

"It's working," Bakura was saying as the Ring continued to glow. "As soon as all seven items are returned to their resting place, the door between this realm and the world beyond will be unlocked. Only then can Zorc, the Dark One be released." The thief laughed. "They wanted to play those Shadow Games, now the very being who created the Shadow Realm eons ago will finally return to bring this whole world into the darkness!"

"I didn't come back to the past just to watch my parents get killed by you," Zahara said darkly after she had stepped up behind him. Her eyes were more black than blue and her inner Power hummed around her.  She had given him plenty of warning regarding the power that she held, but now she was ready to unleash it.

Bakura spun around to face her, his eyes wide. "You're awake, Princess."

"Shame for you." She looked up at him then. Her hair falling partly over her face and her shoulders like some ravaged beauty that had lost her battle with the moral ability to do good. "You should have listened to me, Bakura. You should have let them go. You should have ended this without more destruction. You didn't have to be the monster Aknadin told everyone you were. You could have been more."

"Blah, blah, blah, save it, Princess-" his argument was cut off as he was thrown off balance during her sudden attack.

Zahara let out a strangled cry and lunged forward, her hands making contact with his chest and sending him flying backward with a blast of white light. "I mourned for you!" She shrieked at him, swiftly continuing to move toward him. "I grieved for you!" She closed her eyes to fight back her tears while she continued her assault. "Damn you, I was even falling for you! And you just couldn't listen to me! The Heart is the enemy. That's one thing you and I truly agree with right now, you damn thief! You're a fool, a bastard, a baka!"

Her attack began to weaken as she continued to strike him physically without magic. He never once tried to stop her. He never once tried to resist the assault. His eyes widened as she continued to speak, however, not realizing how much she had been holding back. When he felt her fight beginning to leave her, he reached up and caught her as she fell to her knees in exhaustion.

"Finished?" He asked her calmly.

Zahara broke and began to tremble violently, sobbing uncontrollably. "Why, Bakura? Why?" Her voice choked on her and the last she had to say was lost. When she could speak again, she used what voice she had left to hit him as hard as she could in the only way she had left. "You are still nothing more than a puppet for Zorc. The great Thief is merely a Dark One's pet."

"Careful, Princess," Bakura cautioned. "I allowed you your little tantrum, but keep speaking such lies and you will find yourself in the dark pit your parents fell into."

"At least I would have my family." Zahara's words stopped and her eyes snapped open as she felt Bakura ripped away from her. She looked up from the ground, frozen in her place.

Tendrils of darkness began to rise from beneath Bakura's feet. He gasped as the darkness rose up in a column, then formed a huge fist that reached down and grabbed him.

"What have I done to anger you?" Bakura asked, gripping the dark hand that was holding him.

The cavern rumbled as a ghostly voice vibrated off the crumbling walls. "Find the eighth key."

"What is the eighth key?" Bakura received no answer, instead, he was flung down and the fist disappeared. Bakura sat up. "What could he possibly mean by the eighth key?" He glanced over at Zahara who was still on the floor, blinking as she was tried to make sense of what happened.

Hearing his words, she slowly sat up and tried to brush the dust off of her to no avail. There was no dignity in her appearance at this time and there was really just no use in trying. Instead, she stood and faced him again. "You, who wanted this game so badly as a chance for a do-over, honestly forgot?"

"There are times you truly irritate me, Princess."

"Think really hard then, thief. Think back to when my father defeated Zorc the first time. It's the whole reason we are here in this mess."

"Stop with the riddles."

"Father couldn't defeat the darkness in the current state. So he had to lock it away. There was a way to release it again. Everyone knew that. But only my father knew the answer. He never told anyone. And thanks to you, now he's gone."

Bakura arched an eyebrow at her before looking down at the Millennium Puzzle. "I thought I had figured it out. I thought the secret was just returning the seven items to the stone. Apparently, there is another element. Something I haven't yet considered." He lifted the Puzzle from the stone and stared at it. "So the key existed only within the mind of the Pharaoh who wiped his mind clean."

"And again, you let him slip into the darkness, so good luck trying to get it now."

He grinned at her. "Actually, there may still be a way."

"How can you possibly pull an answer out of thin air?"

"Guess, you will just have to wait and see."

* * *

_Aurora? Aurora, wake up…_

_That voice…_  Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew that voice. But it seemed wrong. She should not be hearing that voice. That voice should not be anywhere near her, and yet…

_Aurora… please, I need you to wake up…_

Her body stilled as sudden flashes of memory lit up her mind like an unwanted movie reel. She heard Bakura's laughter and heard the Pharaoh calling out. She could feel the ground beneath her rumble and quake and then suddenly the ground beneath her feet was gone and she was plummeting into a sea of darkness.

_Aurora!_

Her mouth opened to scream back for him and then all she felt was sharp stabbing pain all around. The pain grew more intense as she tried to fight off. She felt the darkness crashing over her and grew frightened when she realized she no longer had the strength to fight it.

_I'm sorry, my love, I have failed…_

_Come back to me, please… Aurora… my queen… Don't leave me now…_

A scream wrenched itself from her throat as she jolted back into the light, her body curling, instinctively, against the pain. She felt arms tighten around her and lips on top of her head as whispers of "thank the Gods" reached her ears.

"You came back…"

Still lost in the haze of the throbbing limbs and joints, she continued to tremble, whimpering as she fought back tears. She heard the voice shushing her in a soothing way as a thumb wiped away a tear. It took some time before she could coax herself to breathe slower and more evenly. The pain began to lessen and she found herself no longer trembling, but relaxing into the grip of the man who held her.

"I don't suppose... you got the driver of the carriage... that ran me over?" She tried to joke softly.

Yami smiled and brushed her hair away from her face. "I can't say that I did, only know it struck me too." He stared down at her lovingly, cradling her gently. "I thought I lost you," he whispered.

"Bah," she said teasingly. "It's going to take more than a plummet without a parachute to take me out of the fight." She winced and groaned softly as she sat up and leaned against him, looking around at their new surroundings. She stopped when she found herself looking at his chest. Gently, she lifted her head to look up at him.

The Pharaoh was scraped and bruised, but he was there. He was still alive. Bakura did not kill him. She could hear a river flowing just outside of the cave they were sitting in. The light told her it was daytime outside of the cave. But she was not sure if they were still in Eygpt… or if they had passed on.

"What happened? Where are we?"

"Somewhere in Egypt, I suppose. I woke a little while ago on the shore. I found you half in the river. I found this cave and brought you here." He nodded toward a small fire. "Tried to get you dry and keep us warm at least for a little while." He bowed his head. "He still has Zahara. She tried to save me before I fell. Bakura knocked her out before taking my Puzzle and kicking me down here." He sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I was," she told him, sitting up more. She tilted her head, looking at him curiously. "What are you thinking?"

"How much of my history were you told? How much of it do you remember?" He asked her softly.

"I remember the things you told me. I remember some things Priest Set told me after you sealed yourself away. I remember some things Mahaado told me even before you and I were married. It depends on what you are specifically wanting to know."

"If I ask you something here, can you tell me?"

"I've tried to tell you your name, but the Memory World won't let me." She lowered her gaze. "I want to speak it. I want to call you by your name. I hate this!" She struck the ground but calmed when he placed a hand over hers.

"That's good to know, but that wasn't what I was going to ask you, oddly enough. That just tells me that someone else is the chosen one to tell me that piece of my memory when it is closer to time." He kissed the top of her head again. "I am wondering about something else."

"Ask it. I will tell you everything I am allowed to tell you."

Yami took a deep breath before looking at her again. "Before we entered this realm, before we even came to Egypt, Bakura said something to me. He spoke of my father."

Aurora frowned. "What about him?"

"He said my father destroyed his village when he ordered the making of the Millennium Items. He said that my father lied to everyone about wanting to use them to restore peace. He said he knew better than to be fooled by a ruthless dictator. He claims all my father wanted was the power to control the world. Could this have been true? Did my father really, knowingly, bring harm to innocent people in order to create the Items? Or did he rule justly, and restore peace to Egypt?"

Aurora's heart went out to him. She could feel that all he really wanted was to know more about his father. Something he could grasp onto and make sense of. Something to give him some kind of hope. She frowned thoughtfully. "I am not sure I know anything enough about that to tell you those things. But you have a door within your mind that might have those answers. Perhaps I can force it open for you."

"Could you please try?"

Aurora reached up and caressed the side of his face. She nodded to him and closed her eyes, placing both hands on either side of his head. She took a breath and began to concentrate. She felt his body go rigid as he entered the recesses of his mind. She used a glimmer of light to help guide him toward an ancient looking door. She lit up the door and watched as he pressed a hand against it, a look of shock entering his eyes when it gave under the pressure. Stepping inside, Yami watched as a vision of himself as a baby was crying in Shimon's arms.

"This day has brought us a great blessing," Shimon told the Pharaoh. "A new prince is born and one day he will lead us all as Pharaoh."

As Yami watched, the king took the babe and carried him onto a balcony in the palace. He lifted the babe up for the crowd of people below to see and a great roar of joy could be heard.

The vision changed then. Yami was a young child learning how to walk. He made his way slowly across the courtyard, arms reaching out to his father as he tried to walk across. As Yami watched, the young prince stumbled and fell, crying for his father. But his father merely smiled and encouraged him to stand and try again. Finally, he made it to his father's arms. Yami felt a pang as he watched his father hold him close.

"It's all right, everyone falls once in a while. That's what makes us stronger…"

Another change in the vision took Yami into a dark passageway. He looked around at the rows of skeletons that lined the walls of the passage. Some still had arrows protruding from various places from arms, legs, and chests, keeping them in place. Yami watched as he as the young prince followed his father along the path wiping tears from little eyes.

"Must I come with you, Father? I don't like this place. What are we doing down here anyway?"

"Yes, my son. You must be with me. This is something that you must see. There is no reason to be afraid. You see," the king told him sweeping an arm around them. "This sanctuary is protected by the Egyptian gods themselves."

They entered a large cavern lit with torches. The young prince continued to look around him, staring at the shadows that danced with the torchlight. His father continued to move forward. "You see, son? As long as you show respect, nothing will harm you."

The young prince stood at the top of the stairway. "No, Father, I can't do it. I can't go down there."

His father continued to walk farther. "I'm sorry, son. I know you are scared, but it's not your choice. Now join me."

The prince gulped and then hurried to follow his father. He stepped onto a high stone bridge. Slowly, he crept across the bridge, stepping too close to the edge and losing his footing when a stone dislodged under his foot, causing him to fall. He managed to grasp the ledge and called out to his father for help.

"It's okay. Lift yourself up."

The little prince stared after his father a moment before doing as his father told him and pulling himself up back onto the ledge. Silently, he continued to follow his father. At the other side of the bridge was an altar with figures painted on the walls of it.

"Who are these people?" the little prince asked his father.

"They are the pharaohs who came before us." The king knelt at the altar and called out to the Egyptian gods to hear him. "I beseech thee to hear my plea. I have committed a crime beyond atonement, and I am truly sorry. By bringing the seven Millennium Items into the world, I have destroyed the lives of thousands." He bowed low before the altar. "I bear the full responsibility for these actions and beg you please to spare my son." Tears fell onto the stone as the king wept his guilt.

The young prince stepped closer and touched his father's sleeve. "Are you alright, Father?" The young prince gasped as the cavern lit up with repeating flashes of lightning.

The king offered a small smile. "Do not be afraid, my son. You are safe now."

The vision began to fade and Aurora withdrew her hands as Yami opened his eyes. She watched him a moment and his eyes cleared as he blinked. He took a moment before his body relaxed and put his head in his hands.

"I remember now," he told her softly. "My father surrendered his own safety to ensure my own."

A bright light shown behind them. Aurora's eyes widened and she spun to face the light. Yami shifted to place himself in front of her protectively. They watched as a figure began to take shape within the light.

"Who are you?" Yami demanded.

The voice was dark and rumbled in the cavern. "I am known as Hasan. I have come before you to warn you of impending danger. Zorc, the Dark One will soon waken."

"Who is Zorc?"

"Zorc is the embodiment of pure darkness."

"What can I do to stop him?" He looked around and realized the figure was gone, but the voice continued to ring in the cave.

"When the time is right, you will know what to do."

Yami sighed and slowly began to stand. He reached out a hand to help Aurora to her feet as well. "I don't suppose you can tell me the answer to that one."

She shook her head. "Unfortunately, I wasn't present for that battle the first time around. You never had the time to tell me what took place. I only knew that you defeated him and had to seal him away, along with yourself to ensure he didn't get loose and finish what he tried to start."

"Damn," Yami cursed with another sigh. "Yet again, so close and yet so far away…"  He looked up toward the opening of the cave. "All I can do is try to protect all that my father struggled to build."

Aurora nodded and together, they began to make their way outside, raising arms to shield their eyes from the sun until their vision could adjust to the brightness. They watched as a father and son sat in their boat on the river. Together they pulled up a net filled with wriggling fish.

"Pharaoh!"

A chorus of voices shouted further down the river and Yami and Aurora turned toward them to see their friends running toward them, Yugi leading the pack. They both smiled and waved, walking to meet up with them midway up the shore.

"We thought we lost you," Yugi told them as he hugged them both.

Aurora chuckled as she recalled her earlier comment. She resisted the urge to laugh when she heard her words spoken again from beside her.

"It's going to take more than a plummet without a parachute to take me out of the fight," Yami said with a grin and a wink toward his wife. The grin faded only slightly when he saw her grimace in pain and hold her side while trying not to laugh. "Are you alright?"

"Just hurts to laugh, is all," she answered lightly with a smile. "But it's a pain I can live with." Her heart warmed as he kissed her forehead and hugged her close.

"How much more time do you need to heal before you can fight again?" Yugi asked her.

"By the time we make it back into the city, I should be alright again."

"Seriously?" Téa asked incredulously.

Aurora swallowed back a biting remark at the girl. She could feel the jealous anger that was building at the sight of her being Yami's arms, but she really had no time or energy to banter and fight with the romanticizing teen. "Yes, seriously… it is a benefit to not being of this Earth."

Téa opened her mouth to speak again, but Yugi interrupted her and beamed his innocent smile.

"I'm just glad to see that you both are okay." His eyes widened when Aurora reached out and hugged him as tightly as her body allowed.

"I'm glad to see that you are alright as well. I was worried when you and your friends were sent away. I hoped that you would make it back."

"We might have made it back a bit late that second time, but at least we found you now," Joey said cheerfully.

"Now, let's go find Bakura, find Zahara, Sanura, and Mokuba, end this game and go home." Yugi turned to face his friends. "We are together again," he said. "Now, I know that we can do this!"

Aurora's eyes lit up at her grandson's words. A new hope stirred in her heart. She knew it would be rough, but she knew the end was near. It was time to finish this three-thousand-year-old war. It was time to bring peace at last.

* * *

 


	10. Dark Magician Girl To The Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

The drive was silent as Adais and Seto made their way out of the main city stretch and more toward the outskirts of town. Seto stared out the window lost in thought while Adais gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles and clenched teeth. He had so many questions for the young CEO, but doubted he would actually get any answers. He was just worried about where his sister had been taken and wondered how he could help her. He pulled up to a cavern he knew well from his childhood and turned off the car.

"You coming?"

Seto looked over at him. "What are we doing here?"

"I'm assuming Bakura told you to come to Egypt for answers. I'm also assuming you figured the old Tablet from the museum would help. Well, you are partly right in that."

Seto climbed out of the car while he listened. "Partly?"

"The tablet at the museum now is only a copy. The real one has been brought back to its resting place." Adais nodded at the opening to the cavern. "Here."

"I'm warning you, if you are pulling my leg-"

"Stop, Mr. Kaiba. Save it for those who actually worry about your threats. I've been around and seen far too much for your threats to concern me." He felt Seto's eyes burning into his back as he kept walking into the cavern that housed his father's tomb. "Believe me, there are things far worse than you out here."

"And you expect me to believe Bakura is one of them?"

"He managed to take your brother and my sister, didn't he?" Adais kept walking down the twisted steps along the path and sighed. "This would be easier to explain if you were as open-minded as your father."

Seto stopped in his tracks. "What do you know about my father?"

"You're biological father," Adais elaborated.  "My sisters and I grew up with him for a time." Adais knew he was stepping on dangerous territory, but the time for secrets was done. Seto had to know where his roots began in order to make the decisions he had to make. "I also know that he and your grandfather were both very good, strong, and proud men. Nothing could shake them once they set their minds to things. A trait you definitely took."

"This is impossible!"

"Is it? Is it really so hard to believe that people out there knew of you and your life before the accident?"

Seto grew silent. He was finding his senses assaulted in all directions and felt the onset of overload. He wanted answers, but he had not expected this.

"You see, Kaiba, your roots really do stretch way back to ancient times. You have, what some would call, 'special blood'."

"This is ridiculous."

"And yet you are here. I know you are willing to do everything possible for your brother and my sister. Now that would include opening your mind so you can gain what you need to save them." Adais stopped at the end of a path and looked up to an ancient tablet covered in carvings from his childhood. "This is where you will find your answers."

* * *

Back in the memory world, Yugi, Yami, and Aurora sat near the shoreline of the river watching the water flow. Yami had recounted what memory he had of what had happened. Aurora had closed her eyes and tilted her head back, allowing the sun to fall upon her. Yugi smiled when he watched Yami glance over at her with a half-hidden smile.

"I bet it has been nice for you in some ways, being here."

Yami blinked and turned back to face Yugi. "Hmm?"

Yugi grinned and nodded at Aurora, earning a slightly flustered response from the Pharaoh. "Yes, in some ways it has been. There was a lot I had missed. It was nice to get some extra time with certain people." He reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a slight squeeze.

She offered him a warm smile before going back to the sunlight. It was taking her a little longer to recover from her plummet into the darkness than she would have liked. It had been Yami that insisted she rest until she was back in fighting shape. Yami turned his gaze back to Yugi who had taken to looking back out to the water.

"I heard about Bakura," Yugi told him softly. "So he's the evil force you battled all those years ago?"

"That's right, Yugi. And now Bakura has our puzzle. An Item that was handed down from my own father."

"Does this mean you got your memory back?"

Yami shook his head. "Unfortunately, I haven't. Not for the lack of trying. With Aurora's help, I have been able to unlock a small fragment of memory from my childhood during a time my father protected me. When I was just a Prince, my father had the Millennium items created. He had wanted them to restore peace to Egypt. But I'm afraid the Items all have a dark side to them as well."

"That must be why Bakura wants to get a hold of them all," Tristan commented idly.

Yami nodded again. "That's right, and I must do everything in my power to stop him before he can, just as I did in the past."

Yugi brightened. "And this time you have us to help you." His smile grew larger when the Pharaoh reached out and patted his head affectionately.

Tèa walked over and knelt near them. "Yami, did you ever learn your name?"

Yami frowned and glance at Aurora. "No, and believe me, we've tried. Aurora has tried to use it several times, but something always stops her from being able to."

"Finally something the great alien being can't do, huh?"

Yami frowned at his friend. "Tèa, I don't quite understand where you are coming from on this, but she is my wife. I ask that she be treated with, at the very least, the same respect you have given me. She is doing everything that she can. Some of the events playing out that she is with me now for, she wasn't even a part of before. I've been grateful she's been with me through this. Just as I am grateful to all of you." There was silence a moment before Yami pulled the cartouche out from under his tunic and showed them it was blank. "For my name, it's not just on Aurora. No one here uses my name. They always just say King, or Pharaoh. Even if I directly ask for my name, it is a dismissed request. Aurora and I figure it just isn't time for me to have that memory revealed just yet. That when the time comes, it will be revealed."

Aurora sighed and gave his hand a gentle squeeze of assurance this time. "I'm certain its almost time, my love. The pieces are all falling into place."

"I'm sure you're right. I'm just ready to end this."

"Then let us go. Let's return to Kul Elna and face Bakura once more."

There were silent, but solemn nods of heads from everyone as they all stood to leave.

* * *

 

Saphira looked around her in the palace. She felt a strange pull toward a wing she was not sure she remembered going down in the past. The halls were dark and she grasped a small torch to help light her way. She found a room at the far end with guards standing at the entrance. They recognized her and nodded, standing straighter to grant her entrance. She did not understand, but she was grateful for it.

Entering the room, she froze when she noticed Priest Set standing over a bed, watching over a young, frail-looking girl with long, blue hair and snow-white skin. She knew this girl. This girl was important to the High Priest. She had to be guarded.

_Kisara..._

Saphira stepped forward, boldly moving to stand near the High Priest in a way she did not typically do in the beginning. She stared down at the girl but remained silent out of respect.

"I just hope she will rest well," the priest said suddenly beside her. She could hear the strain in his voice. "The White Dragon that is within her... It could very well be what saves us all."

Saphira nodded, continuing to watch the girl sleep. "Indeed, it just might."

He looked over at her then. "I must ask for your help."

She blinked up at him. "My help, Priest Set?"

He nodded to her, his gaze hidden. "Aknadin knows her secret. He has already demanded I kill her for it to take her Power for my own. But that doesn't feel right to me at all." He paused a moment. "What puzzles me, is how is it a man who built his reputation on being merciful to criminals, can be so heartless now?"

"If I may, Priest Set?" Saphira waited until he nodded his permission to her. "I am not all certain Aknadin is acting of his own accord. I believe something else is commanding him at this time."

"I see," Set accepted with a frown. "This is upsetting to hear, though it could very well be the truth with how things have been as of late. When I first came to court, it was Aknadin who taught me compassion and reason. This Aknadin, I don't even recognize anymore. But this means that Kisara is in even greater danger than I feared. Because if he feels I won't do what he wants me to, he just may try to kill her to take that power for himself." He reached up and took both her arms. "Lady Saphira, please watch over her. I have to help find the Pharaoh, but I can't be in two places at once. I know that with you, she will be protected."

She nodded. "Of course, Priest Set. I'll watch over her for you.".

Thankfulness filled his eyes and he nodded to her again. "Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Saphira had not realized she had been holding her breath until he left the room and she heaved a sigh. Turning, she looked down at the girl. She knew what was to happen. She knew what was coming. She hated that she was going to have to watch him go through that pain again, but knew it was necessary for events to continue to unfold as needed. She only hoped that he accepted her help this time as he had before.

* * *

The sun was high when the Pharaoh and his friends were found by Shada and the others. Horses were brought forward for Yami and Aurora, and they gratefully climbed atop them. Tightening the reigns, Aurora kept near Yami as Yugi and Joey ran up to them.

"We are going with you," Joey said defiantly.

Yami shook his head. "Not this time, please Joey. I know you want to help, but it is too dangerous for you there. Bakura has challenged me to a Shadow Game with the ultimate stakes. I don't want to risk losing you all."

"Come on, Yami, it's Bakura. Not like I couldn't lay 'im out with one punch," Joey continued to insist.

Yami shook his head again. "Unfortunately, this Bakura isn't like the Bakura that you knew in your world. This Bakura is much more dangerous. I don't want you all to be hurt. I care too much to risk you. I'll finish things with Bakura. It would be safer if you could just return to your own world."

"Wait, Yami…" Aurora climbed back off her horse and stepped closer to Yugi. She kept her voice low as she knelt down to his level. "Yugi, you are so very important to all of us. I know how important Yami is to you. Even more so than you even realize. So…"She glanced over her shoulder at her husband who was watching her intently before she turned back to Yugi. "There is something you can do to help him."

"Really? What can I do, Aurora? Please, anything to help him."

"He still needs his name. Find his name, Yugi. Many places in this world should now be open for you to pass through. I don't know if you will find anything in the palace with his name. He was really careful about having it removed from there. But perhaps if you can find his destined resting place… You may just be lucky enough there. Find it. Learn it. Even if you can't read it. Find us again. It's the key he needs to end this. Just please, be careful, Yugi. It's far more dangerous here in this time than it was back home."

Yugi nodded and hugged her tightly. "Take care of yourself and him, Miss. Aurora. We will find you with his name."

"I believe you. Now go." She returned to her horse and climbed back up, tightening the grip of the reigns and moving her horse back into position beside Yami. "We can go. They will be alright where they are going." She only nodded to Yami when he cast a curious look her way.

"Onward to Kul Elna!"

* * *

Zahara looked around, scanning her surroundings for the best exit out. She had wandered all over the area she was allowed to explore with no luck in finding any trace of her sister. She had realized with a start after Bakura's run-in with the shadow beast that she had not seen Sanura or Mokuba anywhere near him since her arrival here. She had even begun to wonder if he had them trapped in this realm at all, or if he had stashed them somewhere else. She froze when she felt heat pressed near her from behind.

"Can I help you find something, Princess?"

"Nothing you can help me find, Thief." Her voice had grown venomous. She was no longer under whatever spell she once thought he had her under. After being led to believe that her parents had fallen to their deaths in some land crevice, she could only think of one thing. She had to be the one to destroy him.

"I'm not entirely certain that's the truth."

She spun on him. "I said, nothing you can help me with!" She felt the power surge up within her and she pushed him back away from her, no longer surprised when he was forced back against a far wall in the cavern.

He growled as he stood and put a hand to his chest. "I am getting awfully tired of that little trick."

"Then stay away from me and it won't happen."

Bakura opened his mouth to speak when they heard the sound of approaching horses. Both looked at each other confused for a moment. Bakura's eyes suddenly sparked to life and he turned to head back up to the surface. Zahara followed behind him, stopping when she reached the top and found herself staring across the sands at her parents.

"You're alive…" she breathed.

"Not for long, Princess," Bakura sneered. "The time has come." He spread his arms out in mock welcome. "Ahh, Pharaoh, welcome back to my humble abode! But now that you have returned, you will experience the full extent of my power while you are within my personal realm. The spirits here won't let you escape. You belong to them for the sins of your family."

"The sins of my father were already reconciled, Bakura. He took the whole of the punishment so that I would be spared. It's time to let this grudge match go!"

Bakura grinned and grabbed Zahara. "I still have a few tricks left, Pharaoh. You see one, but where is the other, pray tell? Perhaps you should come down below and maybe you will find her there."

Zahara growled and struggled against Bakura's hold on her as he began to drag her back down underground. "You won't get away with this, Thief. You will not win!"

"Shh, Princess. You're prettier when you are silent."

"Oh, you…" her eyes flashed red and she kicked back harder, the air whooshing out of her when she was suddenly lifted from her feet and flung over his shoulder again. She pounded on his back with her fists the whole of the way down. "You bastard! Let me go!"

"Ah, but I want you to have a front row seat to your father's demise."

"No, this is a front row seat to his greatest victory." A startled cry left her lips when she was hoisted off his shoulder and tossed haphazardly to the ground.

"Bakura!"

"My pharaoh!" Bakura turned and announced with faux grandeur. He turned and found Yami had made his way to the bottom of the steps, Aurora right beside him. "There is something I think you should see."

Yami glanced to one side of Bakura and eyed the stone tablet that rested near him. "The Millennium Stone."

"The one and only," Bakura grinned. "This stone is the gateway between our world and hell. It is guarded by the spirits of those that were sacrificed to make it. It was your father who destroyed our village and captured their souls in order to gain the power to dominate mankind. I know this because I am the only survivor of this village."

"That still made you merely a pawn for the Dark One," Zahara quipped darkly, earning a seething glare from the thief.

Yami growled in anger. "My father created the Items in order to gain peace and prosperity for Egypt."

"That's the lie that you have been told for years, Pharaoh. Open your eyes. The spirits here will tell you the truth, and without your puzzle, you will be unable to call forth the gods for help! Spirits of Kul Elna, arise and take your vengeance on the Pharaoh!"

Yami felt the full force of the spiritual attack and he shouted out in pain, falling to his knees. Aurora reached out to him and Zahara managed to break away from Bakura's watchful gaze long enough to run toward her father.

"You can't save him, Princess. The Pharaoh should be able to hear the cries of the spirits now. He will now learn the truth!"

"Father," Zahara whispered as Yami's eyes went wide before shutting tight and shaking his head.

"Father, please tell me they weren't made this way!" Yami pleaded.

"Oh, they were. And now you will redeem the sins of your father."

Aurora and Zahara both touched Yami on either shoulder, trying to bring him back to them when suddenly the spirits were blasted away from them and all three gasped as the Dark Magician appeared with his arms folded in front of him. The Magician's dark gaze fell upon Bakura who scowled up at him.

"Mahaado!"

Bakura sneered. "Getting struck down once wasn't enough, you had to come back for round two?"

"My soul will always be with my Pharaoh," Mahaado told the thief coldly.

"Mahaado, you don't have to put yourself in harm's way again. You have served me well," Yami told his dearest friend.

The Dark Magician shook his head. "No, I made a vow to always protect the Pharaoh. That vow will hold no matter how powerful our foe. Now, rise, Pharaoh. I only exist by your will, so you must stand now. If you lose your courage, I will be lost as well."

"Did my father really destroy an entire village to make the Millennium Items?"

Bakura huffed. "I can answer that since I was there when it happened. I'll never forget that night. The night your father's henchmen stole the souls of my fellow villagers to further his own selfish needs."

"But how could he? My own father?"

"Pharaoh, listen to me," the Dark Magician commanded. "While it is true that the Millennium Items were created using living sacrifices, what Bakura fails to mention is that every person in this village was evil."

"How do you know this?" Yami asked him.

"I always sensed the darkness within the Ring when I wore it. So I began to research the spell used to create it. I reported what I had learned to your father and he was just as surprised as I had been to learn what had occurred here. He struggled to believe these items could bring peace when they were plagued by so much evil. He didn't want you to suffer for the mistake that was made and asked me to make sure you were protected. But as I told your father, Pharaoh, it was not your Father's fault. He was never fully informed of the truth of the spell. He was taken advantage of, and then forced to suffer the consequences of the actions of the one who desired this Power so much for himself."

"My father was innocent?"

"Your father took the blame. He did so because his desire for lasting peace was not wrong. By taking the blame, he made it so you could continue his legacy and bring peace to Egypt."

"Are you both about finished?" Bakura asked with an air of annoyance. "It's not like it matters whose will he shall continue onward with anyway. The spirits of this town will have their day. They will have their revenge. Spirits, destroy them!"

"I believe in my father," Yami said as he stood. Aurora and Zahara took one step behind him to allow him the place to fight with the Dark Magician. The spirit of the priest lifted his hand and produced a magical barrier against the oncoming spirits. "Bakura! Return the Items to where they belong!"

"And I suppose you believe the Items belong with you?" Bakura laughed. "For a Pharaoh, you sure don't pay much attention. The Items belong back in their original resting place."

"Never!" There was a rumbling under their feet and Yami spread his arms to his waist to regain his balance. "It's coming!"

"Diabound!"

"Good gods above," Zahara gasped.

"It's evolved," Yami breathed, his eyes wide.

"That's right, Pharaoh. By using the power within the Ring and the Puzzle, I have been able to help my creature evolve to be even stronger than before.

The Dark Magician stepped in front of Yami still more to meet Diabound head on. "Be ready, my Pharaoh."

"Please be careful," Yami returned, keeping his eyes locked on the monster in front of them.

"Diabound use Thunderforce attack!"

"Dark Magic Portal!" The Magician managed to redirect the attack, striking a column behind Bakura. As the column began to crack and crumble, the pieces began to fall upon the Millennium Stone.

"No!" Bakura shouted. "Diabound, stop that pillar!" His creature wrapped its long serpent tail around the pillar, stopping it just above the stone.

"Dark Magic Attack!" The next attack struck Diabound's eye, which caused Bakura to stagger backward with a hand over his own eye.

Bakura seethed. "You will never destroy my Diabound, no matter how many times you manage to come back from the dead. But even more, you just wait. Zorc the Dark One will be here soon. You will make great offerings to him."

"Zorc!" Yami gasped.

"I told you that you were nothing more than his pathetic puppet!" Zahara shouted back to him.

"And I told you enough of your lies!" There was a surge of energy from out of the shadows that caught Zahara up and lifted her into the air. She struggled within its grip, unable to break free. Bakura returned to his previous task. "Skeleton Fiend, protect the stone tablet! It will be needed to release Zorc when the time comes."

Diabound began to fade into the shadows and Dark Magician sent out a series of attacks around the cavern. Aurora turned her attention and her magic on the shadow that was keeping her daughter held fast. All around them, holes were blasted into the walls ceiling of the cavern, allowing sunlight to filter through the darkness. When Diabound was revealed in the light, the Dark Magician attacked Diabound directly. The attack caused Bakura to be thrown backward and he struggled to lift himself off the ground as his creature sank into the ground.

"It's over," Yami said with a slight release of breath.

"Not yet," Bakura growled from the ground. He looked up at the Pharaoh with blood dripping down the side of his face. "Mahaado may have improved his skills, but he's still not good enough to keep me down." He slowly stood and coughed, spitting blood onto the ground before he turned to face them. "Spirits, I ask you now to fill me with your strength so that I may, at last, be able to avenge your suffering!"

Zahara's eyes widened and she stopped struggling long enough to watch as Bakura began to glow red from their strength. His laughter rang out loud and vibrated within the cavern of ruins. She whimpered when she saw Diabound, once again, rising up from the ground behind him. The Dark Magician attacked, but Diabound was ready and blocked each attack that came. There was another attack from the dark creature and the Magician was thrown back into one of the columns, falling to the ground.

"Father!" Zahara cried out fearfully as she and her mother fought even harder against her own prison, her father falling to his knees.

"Diabound, finish this with Lightning Blast!"

The attack shook the room and the Magician disappeared, leaving only a hole in the ground. Yami shouted out in pain and gripped his chest, looking up at Bakura with one opened eye. He growled and clenched a hand into a fist. Slowly he tried to stand yet again.

"Game Over, Pharaoh," Bakura said with a pleased grin. "The Dark Magician is no more."

"You're wrong." All eyes turned to a spot just above the dust. "Mahaado is safe."

Dark Magician Girl could be seen as the smoke began to clear, holding the Dark Magician by an arm as she carried him toward one of the holes in the roof.

"Who summoned you?" The Dark Magician asked her.

She smiled down at him warmly. "A former student of yours." She nodded toward the opening.

"Mana," Yami whispered gratefully.

"I told you that you would become a wonderful spell caster." Aurora beamed with joy. "You really will do great things."

Mana opened her eyes and smiled at them both. "Yes, you did, my lady." She glanced at Yami with a slight bow of her head. "I thought you might be needing some help."

* * *

 


	11. Betrayal of One Of Your Own

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

"I never dreamed one day you would end up being the one to save me," the Dark Magician told his student gratefully. "I'm proud of you. Even in my absence you still continued with your training."

Mana smiled and stood, grasping onto one of the pillars and sliding down to the ground, kneeling beside Yami, Zahara, and Aurora.  Zahara smiled warmly at the girl who looked back and forth between her and Aurora. Aurora chuckled softly and Yami just grinned.

"Thank you for helping me, Mana."

Bakura growled. "The little twit should have stayed home."

Yami slowly stood as Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl moved to stand in front of him. Together they began attacking Diabound once again.

"Nice try," Bakura said smugly. "But its going to take more than that to take my beast out." He raised his arms up. "Spirits! Come and give my creature some company. Show the Pharaoh and his kind what you are all made of!" He laughed as two more Diabounds appeared before them. "You see, thanks to the spirits, my Diabound has now picked up a few extra tricks. Attack!" He growled again when the two magicians fired back and destroyed the two extra Diabounds, ordering his real creature to attack. Diabound's shock wave was so powerful, it sent them both flying away.

Aurora and Zahara looked up from the zombie-like creatures they had been fending off when Yami and Mana struck the cavern wall near them.

Bakura laughed. "Face it, Pharaoh, your reign is over!"

Diabound sent another attack, deflected only when Dark Magician Girl returned to protect them with her Magical Hats. Mana and Yami became concealed within one of the hats in a desperate attempt to buy some time.

"Don't think you can hide from me," Bakura taunted. He ordered another attack that blew away all of the hats, sending Yami and Mana flying backward again. Diabound's huge, clawed hand stretched forward to swipe at Yami.

"Father!" Zahara screamed out.

"No!" Aurora shouted, raising her staff and hitting it with all her strength toward the hand. Her eyes widened when she saw a second weapon embed itself beside hers in the claw. Turning, she saw Priest Set, Karim, Isis, and Shimon running down the staircase and coming to a stop in front of Yami.

"And that brings three more items for the stone."

"Are you alright, my Pharaoh?" Shimon asked Yami as he stood tense to fight.

Yami nodded but turned when he heard Isis exclaim Mahaado's name. The Dark Magician came closer to them. "Yes, I have returned just as you predicted. But even while my spirit is trapped in stone, my soul will always live on to protect the Pharaoh."

"You truly are the greatest magician in the country," Shimon praised.

Priest Set coughed pointedly. "We will have plenty of time to chat about praises later, right now we have a villain to defeat."

"Set is right," Karim agreed. "The Pharaoh is weak and time is short. We must act quickly to get this finished."

Aurora broke away from her fight and turned to kneel beside her husband. "You were all the distraction I needed." She reached out and placed a hand in his shoulder, a white flow of energy transferring from her to him. "Sorry for the delay, love. They are keeping us just busy enough for me to be unable to restore your energy."

"So I noticed," Yami said as he stood and kissed her cheek. "Thank you." He looked toward the guardians. "Thank you all for coming."

Bakura growled. "You all have interfered for the last time."

Yami faced him with dark eyes. His guardians gathered around him. Zahara and Aurora stayed on either side of him. A fight in this land was definitely proving to be more difficult than they thought it would be, but it was a fight that needed to be concluded. They were all prepared to give all that was needed.

Shimon reached out and touched Yami's arm. "My Pharaoh, it is too dangerous for you without your Millennium Puzzle. You really should allow us to take Bakura out for you."

"Such a splendid idea," Bakura agreed. "This way, when I've beaten you all, I can acquire three more items for the stone. A grand total of five."

"I might not be able to fight with all the creatures I once could, but that does not mean that I am not entirely defenseless," Yami informed them. Flames licked at the tips of his fingers and Aurora and Zahara took a step back. A small smile curved Aurora's lips and she felt a whole new wave of Power fill the room. His magic began to grow as his guardians all called forth their own monsters to battle.

"So you can play with fire, eh, Pharaoh? Didn't anyone tell you that's the best way to get burned? It doesn't matter what you can do. Diabound, show these fools the power of the Shadows!"

"Be ready," Set commanded, looking around him to the other guardians. "Synchronize our counter blast!"

Creature, fire, and white light all struck as a counter attack, but all were shocked and dismayed when the smoke cleared to find Diabound protected by a web of spirits.

Bakura laughed heartily. "My creature is and always will be, protected by the spirits of Kul Elna."

Zahara sighed angrily. "Those spirits hate our kingdom about as much as he does. If not more so. So long as we keep the battle here, Bakura and his creature will always be safe and protected by them. We will never be able to break through."

"Very good, Princess. You have been paying attention after all." He flashed her a wolfish grin when his only response was a scowl. "Your attacks will never be able to get past my shield. Diabound, attack!" There was another shock of power. Mystical Elf was destroyed, causing Isis to sink to the floor in pain. Just off to Yami's side, Aurora was dropped as well.

"No, Isis! Aurora!"

"Mother, no!"

Set lifted Isis and brought her closer to Aurora as Yami and Zahara knelt beside them both. Karim cradled Isis' head in his arms while Yami held Aurora tightly to his chest. Zahara's vision blurred with her tears and she looked up at her father.

"No more," she whispered fiercely. He nodded, his own gaze dark.

"No one will be regenerating anyone's strength now. Unless the Princess has another secret to share with the class."

"Go screw yourself," Zahara muttered under her breath.

"What was that, love?"

His taunting chuckle was cut off by a series of pulsing bursts of energy that were not aimed at his creature, but at him directly. The spirits attempted to keep the wall up about him, but were forced to move and rebuild with every step that she took forward. Set's eyes widened as he watched the scene unfold and he motioned to Yami.

"Pharaoh, look! His creature is weakening. Perhaps we can use this chance while she has him on the run."

Isis reached out to Karim and then looked at Yami. "I will be alright. Go on, and do what you must."

They nodded and all stood to take up battle formation yet again. All the monsters left began their assault on Diabound. All parties striking at once. Zahara was lost in her own rage, forcing the power to expel from her as quickly as she could bring herself to. She didn't have the time to withdraw when he reached out and snagged her arm, yanking her closer to him.

"Don't forget, I know you. I know your mind."

"Not anymore, Thief."

Bakura chuckled. "We shall see. It won't be long before I have all seven of the items. The last two are near to present themselves. Then, Zorc will rise and this time, he won't be defeated."

"You're wrong, Bakura. Zorc will tire of you. He will find another to take your place and then you will be left with nothing. No drive, or will, or anything. And even more? You most certainly will not have me." Zahara let out a shout as she kicked away from him, striking him in the chest with her firmly planted foot. She rolled backward and watched him back away yet again when a burst of fiery flames struck Diabound square in the center.

Zahara looked up to see that Karim had used the magic of the Millennium scales to merge his, Set's and Yami's monsters together as one being to attack. She slowly stood, accepting her father's hand when he reached out to her.

"It doesn't matter how many monsters you merge together, you are still no match for mine," Bakura snarled at them.

"We shall see," Set returned as they ordered their dragon to attack.

Diabound countered with Helico ShockWave. The attacks met at equal strength, but before either could give, Bakura called upon the spirits to boost Diabound's strength yet again. The beast began to attack with more power and the Duos Dragon found itself weakening. Set called upon the Aura Sword and Karim called for his monster's Flame Burst Attack. Zahara watched as the attack slowly began to melt the spirit shield. Yami added his own strength of Fire and Zahara turned her energy on the shield as well. But the smell of burning flesh brought her attention back to Priest Set who's arm holding the Millennium Rod had begun to sizzle.

"We're almost through," she said tensely, trying to strengthen what was left of her energy.

"If we can just get. Through. This. Shield…" Karim started between gasping breaths. "We can defeat Diabound."

"That's not going to happen," Bakura called upon yet another creature which attacked Karim directly, knocking the Scale out of his hand. He grinned when one of the spirits retrieved the Scale and brought it to him. He laughed as the Dragon was forced to split back up into the individual monsters yet again. He ordered Diabound to attack and this time he succeeded in destroying all of the monsters and sending all the guardians and the Pharaoh into the air.

Zahara reached her father when his body slid to a stop near her mother. She reached out to him and gently shook him, grateful when one eye slowly opened and blinked up at her. Behind her, Bakura had used the Scale to fuse his own two monsters. Zahara helped her father to slowly stand, and stood near as he turned to face the thief.

"Finally," Bakura said to them. "The spirits of Kul Elna will have their revenge!"

"Stop this."

Zahara's eyes widened at her father's haggard voice. He was standing as tall as his body would allow him to, which wasn't by much. One eye was swollen shut and he had a hand gripping his right shoulder while his right arm hung at his side. His body was badly ravaged from the battle, yet he continued to stand. He took another step forward when it appeared that Bakura was actually going to allow him to speak.

"Stop this, Bakura. Spare my friends. Take me."

"Father, no!" Desperation stung within Zahara's voice and tears filled her eyes as she reached out to stop him from continuing to step forward. "Don't do this… You can't, please…"

"I'm sorry, my daughter. This is something that I must do."

Her tears fell, her voice broke. "Father, please… no…"

He turned his head toward her and she could see his own eyes filled with tears. She could feel his grief tearing him apart on the inside. "I have no choice, Zahara. It's the only way."

Zahara started toward him when firm hands gripped her shoulders and she stopped, looking up at her mother's shaken form behind her. She saw the muscle twitch at the side of her mother's head the gave away her clenched teeth. A stray tear slid out of the corner of her own eye. But she did not stop him. She continued her grip on her daughter and swallowed hard.

"Finally, you come to your senses," Bakura chided. "Now, prepare to be trapped for eternity in the spirit realm!"

Yami dropped both arms to his sides, lifting his head high. "My father may not have known what had happened here at the time the Items were created; that all of these spirits had to be captured to make them. But they blame my father for trapping them there. If the same thing had happened to my friends and family, I would, no doubt, feel the same hatred as Bakura. It is my fate to accept the punishment. I will allow my soul to join them so that the grudge can finally be laid to rest. So, spirits of Kul Elna, take me!"

The scream that ripped itself from Zahara's throat nearly outdid the sounds of the spirits screaming as they rushed toward her father. She continued to scream for him, her mother desperately trying to keep her from running to him and risking herself being taken as well. Isis brought a hand to her lips, watching as Yami took on the strike of the spirits and feeling the effect it was having on his wife and daughter on an emotional level. Even Priest Set stepped forward to place a hand on Zahara's shoulder, trying to help calm her as she continued to watch her father's body being invaded by the evil that surrounded them.

There was an odd flicker in Bakura's eyes when he heard her scream. He glanced at her briefly but had to force his eyes away from her as he felt his victory at hand. "It's over. Farewell, Pharaoh."

The scene unfolded before them was like that out of a nightmare. Zahara could no longer stand as she watched her father standing there, shivering, with the spirits circling within him. Zahara no longer had a voice to use, having used it all in her protests and pleas. She closed her eyes, hugging herself tightly enough for her nails to bite into the skin of her arms. Trickles of blood began to flow, but she could not feel the pain. She was numb to everything around her.

 _Someone, please help him… Don't let him be taken away from me… from us… we need him still…_ It was a silent prayer, but it was all that she had left. Her strength gave on her completely and hung her head.

There was a sound of breath hissing inward just above her. She felt the hands of her mother and Priest Set still on her shoulders. She slowly looked up to see a golden glow surrounding her father. Her breath came in small pants and her eyes widened.

_Fear not, my Granddaughter, your prayer has not gone unheard…._

She froze. The golden light surrounding her father began to take a shape. The light made it difficult for her to see, but she could almost imagine a man in very elegant and regal clothing, a golden headdress atop his head.

"It's me that you want," the figure said to the spirits. "Take the one you truly desire!"

The golden light stepped forward after the spirits entered within it and Yami took several steps backward. Zahara stood and reached out to him, gripping him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her just as tightly before looking up at the light. Behind it, Diabound had begun to shrink.

"Father," Yami started. "What will happen now?"

Dark Magician spoke the answer. "King Aknamkanon will lead the wandering spirits to the realm of shadows where they belong. But he does this knowing that he will be trapped there as well."

"That's not fair," Yami protested. "He was innocent, he didn't know…"

"He knows, love," Aurora told him softly. "It is your father's sorrow and regret that will be the souls' redemption.

"No!" Bakura snarled as Diabound continued to shrink away. "Come back! Have you forgotten your hate? Come back and tear them all apart!"

Yami stared after his father's spirit until the light faded away, taking the spirits with him. "Farewell, Father."

"Restore peace to our land, my son," Aknamkanon's voice whispered back toward him on the breeze.

Yami nodded and turned to the Dark Magician. "Mahaado, attack Diabound now, while he is weak."

The Magician nodded and turned, leveling his staff at the creature and firing off his attack. Diabound destroyed, Bakura fell to his knees.

"Now, Bakura, your reign ends now. It is time you sleep with the ancient darkness."

The Thief stood, gasping for breath. He turned, eyes wide when he realized the Stone was no longer protected. "No, this isn't over. The Empire will crumble. The Items will be mine and Zorc will rise!" He stumbled and fell onto the ground. With all of the strength he could muster, Bakura crawled weakly up the steps to the Stone.

"This land will finally know peace," Yami told him patiently. "It's no use to continue. We still have the remaining Items. You can't break the seal on Zorc." Yami's eyes darkened when he noticed the thief attempting to place the Scale and Puzzle back into the stone. "Return those Items to me, Bakura. Give it up, you've lost."

"I think not."

Aurora frowned at the voice. A part of her knew she should know this. A vision she had once, a long, long time ago. She blinked and she gasped as she looked up at Yami.

"What it is?"

"The betrayal of one of your own… It was a vision I'd had soon after you and I had met. A vision I kept hidden from you for weeks. Months even… The tides of the empire would change. You would face a betrayal of one of your own people. Someone you trusted."

Yami shook his head. "No, no one here would betray us…"

"You really should listen more to your wife, Pharaoh. Especially when it comes to this." Aknadin appeared on the upper steps. In his hand was the Millennium Key.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I am the one responsible for the creation of these Items," Aknadin revealed. "And now that they are all gathered in this place, I shall be the one who decides their fate."

"He's right, all seven are here," Yami breathed.

"What have you done with Shada?" Priest Set demanded.

Aknadin waved his question off. "What's important is that his Millennium Item will be put to good use," he said instead as he walked toward the stone.

Bakura began laughing wildly for a short moment before a strange purple light surrounded him and he pitched forward hitting the stone. There was a groan against the stone and he slowly tried to sit up.  Where he knelt on the stone, he looked down at his hands and then up at everyone around him.

"What the hell…?" Zahara whispered as she looked deeper into his eyes. "Mother… something is wrong. That's not the Thief… I-I mean, it's him, but it isn't."

"What do you mean?"

There was a wry, humorless bark of laughter from the princess as she shook her head. "I was right. He was nothing more than a puppet. And the puppeteer just cut his strings."

"What?" Aurora and Yami both turned and looked at Bakura who was watching his hands slowly disintegrate into sand.

"Wh-where am I?" Bakura asked in a soft, scared tone. "Who are all you people? What is happening to me?"

There was a new voice in the cavern that belonged to no one anyone could see. "Thank you, Bakura. For a pawn, you have done me very proud. But unfortunately, it would seem that I have no more use for you."

"Who are you?" Yami shouted out to the voice.

"Please, help me!" Bakura pleaded. "Please, help, the shadows are taking me!"

Zahara's heart almost ripped apart again when she thought she heard Ryou's voice within the body she had grown to despise in this battle. She looked up but could only watch as he completely disappeared, leaving only a torn cloak in his place.

"Unnecessary chess pieces must disappear," the mysterious voice said. The tone of the voice inflected a mild smile to be hidden somewhere in the darkness.

"Explain yourself!" Yami commanded.

"Pharaoh!" The newest voice was weak. It held a note of fear and warning. They all turned to see Shada propped against a wall near where he stood at the opening of the cavern. "Be careful, Pharaoh. It's Aknadin. You must stop Aknadin!"

* * *

 


	12. Please Don't Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

"You must stop Aknadin," Shada warned with a labored voice. "He is the traitor!" He used the last of his energy to attack Aknadin, demanding the return of his Millennium Key. The guardian's injuries were too severe, however, and Aknadin was able to throw him down with ease.

"Have you gone mad?" Shimon asked Aknadin.

"Aknadin! Why are you doing this?" Yami asked his once trusted guardian.

"Because it is time for a new king to rise," Aknadin responded simply. The tone of his voice told them that his answer really should have been simple enough to understand without being told.

"Hold your tongue, old man!" Set commanded harshly. "How dare you utter such treacherous words in the Pharaoh's presence?"

"Oh, be silent!" Aknadin fired back. He uttered a few more words in an ancient tongue and suddenly all in the room aside from him became frozen in place. "With Zorc's power, time is stopped. Now, I will be able to do what Bakura could not," he boasted with laughter. "I've done it!" He moved forward to take possession of the remaining Millennium Items. "And as soon as I have them in their rightful place, the Dark One will rise and the Pharaoh's empire will crumble." He stopped in front of Yami. "You were never fit to be Pharaoh. But there is someone here who always should have been."

Aknadin stepped away from Yami and made his way to the stone, placing the items in their matching slots. "And now for the final piece," he said contentedly. His voice changed, however, when he screamed out in agony, his own fingers ripping his Millennium Eye from his skull. He took a moment to catch his breath and leaned forward to place the eye into the stone.

"You have proven yourself to be a worthy pawn," the mysterious voice from earlier said from somewhere above them. "The Ultimate Shadow Game is nearly complete!" The evil laughter filled the cavern and sank the hearts of those unable to move.

There was a bright light that grew from the Stone. When it dimmed, Bakura could be seen strolling toward Yami, Aurora, and Zahara in modern attire. The wind around him caused his jacket to billow out behind him. His devilish sneer flashed to all of them. He stopped in front of Zahara. After a moment, he shook his head and clucked his tongue in disappointment. He gave a snap of his fingers which allowed his three main targets the ability to speak.

"What's it like, Princess? Living out your nightmare in the Shadow Realm? I must say, you've pressed me a great deal. Teased and taunted me more than I ever would have expected. Even perhaps meant a lot of what you said to me. It definitely threw me a few curves I didn't expect… or prepare for."

His tone changed slightly at the end of his speech and his eyes gave a different light. He had not forgotten what had stirred within him before the game had begun. He had not forgotten those feelings were still present as she began her approach and pleas with his Thief self. As she watched him, she could see him reliving every moment they'd had. She knew it was not all lost. She just knew with a heavy heart, that it hadn't been enough. She swallowed back what she had buried in her heart and forced herself to bury it deeper. Her heart ached, but she refused to allow him to see anything more than his own abilities allowed him to see. Unfortunately, her voice betrayed her as the sadness rang through loud and clear.

"This has all just been one of your Shadow Games? One of your tricks? All of it? There and here? A game?"

His eyes flickered. For a moment, she saw a truth there he was quick to shove away. "Truth is such an ugly thing at times, isn't it? Always revealing things it both should and shouldn't? Some questions are better left unanswered, Zahara."

That was the moment she knew. He was speaking the truth, but only in part. He was revealing his heart to her and yet hiding it as well, just as she had begun to do.  He had kept her outside that wall. She had gotten through to him at some point, she didn't know when. But she had gotten to him. Still, he could not reveal everything. Not there, in front of everyone. He had a reputation to uphold after all, and a game to win.

"I was just a pawn in your game," she responded bitterly her eyes lowering away from him.

"If you had been _my_ pawn, you would still be moving right now, my dear. However, you spurned my offer. Now granted that could be because my pawn got a touch rougher with you than originally intended." His proud smile faded and she caught a glimpse of sincerity in his words. "I do apologize for that. But things had to follow through, you see. It had to continue. There has to be an end."

"Yeah… an end…" She closed her mouth and tensed when his fingers reached for her face. His fingertips were tender, but her throat still burned from her earlier screams and her face felt hot. She did not trust herself to speak words befitting a princess, so she opted to just not speak at all. She merely stared out at him with a shielded gaze, swallowing hard to keep back her emotions.

"I did hear you, Princess," he told her softly.  "I heard everything.  Unfortunately, it just came too late for me."  Bakura had a moment in which he let his response to her shine in his eyes.  He had returned her feelings, but he was too far gone to stop what had to happen.  "If things had been different," he whispered.  Bakura saw her inner struggle of sadness, hurt, and pride.  He sighed before giving a half-hearted shrug. He turned his focus back toward Yami. "I did promise you a Shadow Game, Pharaoh. Believe me, it doesn't get much darker than this.  In the end, Everyone loses."

"I'm in no mood for games, Bakura," Yami seethed.

"It's a little late for backing out now. You are already far too deep in the middle of this one." He swept his arm around the area around them to bring attention to everything within the cavern. "This playing field is all of ancient Egypt. All of your memories as you begin to recall them. And all of your pawns are all of the people from your past." He cast a glance at Zahara. "And apparently a few from your future."

"This makes no sense Bakura," Yami said, his eyes narrowed in thought. "I am here, playing my role as the ancient Pharaoh. You were here as the thief. But the thief was defeated. I should have won. Why is this game not over?"

Bakura grinned again. "You see, when the Millennium Items entered the Stone, a new stage of the game began. With new rules and objectives. New requirements for victory. Myself, as the thief was never truly in play. A part of me was a part of that pawn, yes, by was soul was actually sealed within the Stone tablet. I will be revived as Zorc the Dark One."

"And if I don't defeat Zorc, I lose this game?" Yami asked.

"Oh, you'll lose more than that, Pharaoh. You will lose your friends and even your family. Those who entered a world in which they didn't belong. So when this playing field disappears, they will all become trapped within the Shadows."

"You bastard," Zahara hissed.

Bakura merely grinned at her, caressing her chin as he gave her father a wink. "Such spirit; just like her parents." He chuckled again, continuing to speak to Yami, but keeping his gaze on Zahara. "So, Pharaoh, I suggest that if you wish to see your friends and family again, you try a little harder to win the game. But if you think it will get any easier, you are wrong." He turned to face Yami again. "All of your pawns are currently frozen thanks to my hourglass token," he explained, holding up a small hourglass he pulled from his jacket pocket. "As the game Master, I have three of them. This one just happens to freeze time for everyone except those I control."

"This isn't the first time you've manipulated the game," Aurora stated thoughtfully.

"Welcome to the conversation, my lady," Bakura acknowledged with an exaggerated bow. "And you are correct. I did use one of my hourglass tokens earlier on in this game."

"When time was reversed. When you sent Yugi and his friends away." It wasn't much of a guess for Aurora. She had wondered if that event had been somehow tied to Bakura and not just some twisted bit of memory trying to fix itself in the world.

"Correct again. Of course, I'm sure you didn't need your magic to figure that one out. Thanks to these tokens, I can rewrite history three different times during the course of the game. Which means-"

"Essentially, my life is under your control," Yami finished for him. "You won't win this, Bakura."

Bakura grinned again. "We shall see." He faded from sight, the spell falling enough to allow the other pawns to speak as Aknadin stood upon the Stone to call upon Zorc. All everyone could do was stand, imprisoned by the time seal, and watch as the items were offered and a shadowy figure began to rise above the stone.

"Denounce your allegiance to Egypt and pledge your loyalty to me, and all that you desire shall be yours," the Dark One promised the wayward guardian.

"I have but one desire," Aknadin told the Shadow. "To see my son named the new Pharaoh!"

"No!" Set shouted from his prison "I won't have it!"

Zorc continued to speak to Aknadin, ignoring the shouts and protests. "Your transformation from sacred guardian to Lord of Darkness is complete." There was a surge of power that struck Aknadin and when it faded, he became a masked creature wearing a long, deep purple robe and had shocks of red hair. "You are now known as the Priest of Darkness!"

"What has he done?" Yami breathed in shock.

"He technically hasn't done anything that hasn't already happened once before," Aurora told her husband sourly. "Everything happening right now, happened three thousand years ago. All Bakura has done is change things up a little here and there."

"And again, the lady is correct," Bakura's sky-born voice admitted to them. "Thanks to this Shadow Game, I am able to influence certain things."

Aurora drew a breath. "The first time, you were able to seal your spirit away to keep Zorc locked up and unable to escape to create his chaos."

"This time, you won't be so lucky," Bakura's voice promised. "And with holes in your memory, other manipulations are required. For example- your name. I originally needed it not just to seal away the Dark One, but also to revive him. Having your name removed, made that nearly impossible. However, I have found a way around that little wall. I can bring the Dark One back now without your name." An hourglass appeared near the Millennium Stone. "I will use my final hourglass!"

"What are you saying?" Yami demanded.

"He means that when the last grain of sand falls, Zorc will rise!" Zahara exclaimed fearfully.

"Priest of Darkness, banish the Pharaoh and his family so that your son may take the throne!" The Dark One ordered.

The Priest turned and faced them. "This is what I have always wanted for you, Set. Ever since you were a young boy."

Aurora shook her head sadly. "After all these years of loyalty, his hidden jealousy was tapped so that he would betray his own family."

"Now we shall no longer live under the shadow of my brother. We shall rise up and claim our rightful place on the throne of Egypt!" The priest bellowed. "And with the rise of Zorc, the Era of King Set will officially begin!" The priest drew upon a dark power and sent the magic directly toward Yami, his wife, and his daughter.

"F-father…" Zahara whimpered, feeling vulnerable as she could not even fight to flee.

All three sets of eyes squeezed shut as the prepared themselves as best they could for the blow. They waited for the searing pain and then the blessed nothingness they expected to feel. They chanced to open their eyes when nothing came to them at all. With a start, they all blinked in shock.

"Hasan?" Yami asked when he recognized the figure standing before them, absorbing the power that had been meant for them. He laughed softly, a grateful grin curving his lips. "Of course," he said cryptically. "Two of us playing this game. Both of us would have a means to help our game and hurt the other player. Hasan must have been my token."

Aurora grinned. "And what perfect timing for him to come into play."

"Who stands in the way of my destiny?" The Priest of Darkness demanded.

"I am Hasan, defender of the Pharaohs," Hasan explained. "For centuries, I have defended the honor of Egypt's kings. "He glanced over his shoulder at Yami. "Fear not, Pharaoh. As promised to your father that fateful night in the temple, I was sent at your father's request to protect you.  I will shield you from the darkness just as I did for your father, and his father before."

"Bah! If you are truly the protector of the Pharaohs, you should be protecting Set, the true king of Egypt," the Priest countered.

Hasan's voice deepened in anger at the disrespect. "I trust not the words that come from he who has sold himself to the Dark God." The priest's attack was fired back at him, debris from the attack falling everywhere, including striking the time freezing hourglass.

"We're free!" Isis exclaimed happily.

"But how? I rendered you all powerless!" The Priest protested.

"Not anymore," Hasan told him. "The Shadow Spell has been broken."

"But something has changed," Shimon said looking at his diadankh. There is a life monitor attached now."

"Bakura must have managed to create it so that we all have some form of life energy sensor attached to us," Isis deducted as she looked at her own diadankh.

"But not all of us are wearing one," Zahara said pointedly.

"That doesn't mean we are safe," Aurora commented thoughtfully. "It just means we have to be extra careful as we have no means of judging how low we are.  His priest hasn't been in play long enough to sustain any damage."

"It's the Shadow Realm for those who lose all of their life energy," Yami said, softly, looking down at his own diadankh.

"Oh gods, How many have already been lost?" Karim asked, bringing the group to silence.

"We can't lose…" Yami said softly. "I've defeated Bakura once, I will do so again. I will find a way to protect my friends and the world."

"We seem to be at a slight disadvantage, Pharaoh," Mana said lightly. "Bakura seems to know things no one else knows."

"While this may be true, we can't let it stop us," Yami told her. "We still have some time. His countdown may have begun, but we are not out of the game yet."

The Dark Priest called out to Set. "Set, my son, why do you insist to remain by the Pharaoh's side when the throne is rightfully yours? Your destiny is the throne. Come stand by my side so that we may rule Egypt as father and son."

"I reject you as my father," Set said tensely. "My father was a good and just man. A man who taught me about mercy. My father would not betray the Pharaoh like this." He stepped up beside Yami and Aurora. "You speak lies. I won't join you."

The Priest pointed at Yami. "That impostor is no Pharaoh. He is the one who lies. It is you who should be king."

"You're wrong. I swore a vow to protect the Pharaoh, not replace him."

"But you deserve so much more, my son."

Aurora looked up at Seto. She remembered the first time he had looked down at her. There had been such a friendly nature in his cool blue eyes. The years of battling had changed him. But she knew he would stand strong. He once listened to her when it came to his cousin's safety and future. She wondered if she could reach him again.

"Priest Set." She waited until he looked down at her again. There was a confliction in his eyes she had not expected to see there. "Please, Set… Aknadin has lost his identity to the Shadows. He isn't your father anymore."

"Aurora is right, Set," Yami tried to further reach his cousin.

"That's nonsense!" the dark priest argued. "Set is my own flesh and blood! That makes him royalty. If you listen to these fools, you will allow them to deny you the power you deserve!"

Hasan stepped forward to face Set. "He is one who has sold his soul to the darkness. You have always been a good man. You have always upheld your vow with honor and loyalty. You have been the Pharaoh's right hand all these years. Keep strong your vow, and stand with the Pharaoh now to protect your country, people, friends, and family."

The priest snarled under his breath. "Set, my son, you must listen to the royal blood within you and not deny your destiny."

* * *

Adais and Seto continued to walk down the steps in the tomb in silence. A dark feeling began buzzing around Adais' head in warning and he stopped suddenly, looking around. Seto paused and watched him cautiously. Neither one knew what they would be facing when they entered the tomb. And neither expected to feel the sensation of impending danger to be quite so strong the deeper they went. Adais sighed and started walking again.

"How much farther till we reach whatever it is I am supposed to be seeing?" Seto asked.

"Not much longer." He stopped again when he came across Bakura's limp body on the ground.

Seto stooped down and picked up Bakura's body by the back of his shirt. "I suppose this means I won't be able to learn exactly where my brother and Sanura have been taken."

"Not from that form, you won't."

" 'That form'?"

"The Bakura you are looking for probably isn't even here."

"Don't tell me… another 'Shadow game'?"

Adais sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as a headache threatened him. "Yeah, probably." He started walking again, rounding a corner. His eyes widened and his headache was forgotten when he saw his son laying on the ground with his friends. "Yugi?" He gently shook his body, praying that he was just asleep. When there was no response, he looked up at Seto.

"Well, I seriously doubt that they flew all the way to Egypt just to take a nap." Both men turned and looked at the wall near them to see the Tablet. "This was the tablet from the museum back home," Seto commented as he stared up at it. His hand felt warm and he lifted it to look upon the Millennium Eye that he held. The Eye's light struck the tablet and caused it to spark to life. "What the…" Seto stopped himself as he watched images begin to appear on the Tablet. Images of the Pharaoh and the guardians facing off against the Dark Priest. When Priest Set came into view, Seto gasped and stared in shock. "It can't be… it's me…"

"Close… but not quite," Adais correctly lightly as he stepped up beside him. "Meet your grandfather. High Priest Set. Cousin to the Pharaoh and his closest friend. They were each others' biggest rivals, but they always looked out for each other. Priest Set did everything possible to keep the Pharaoh safe and Egypt at peace."

"You lie!" Seto seethed, spinning on Adais. "There is no way that man is my grandfather!"

"Why? Because that would have meant that your father lived longer than any mere human? That your blood could possibly keep you alive longer than any other mortal?" Adais stopped as he watched Seto struggle with what he was hearing. "Mr. Kaiba, you have always been slightly stronger than everyone around you. Faster. Your ability to heal is quicker than most around you. You are sensitive to things you don't understand. But of course, you would probably have to be beaten about the head before you would even begin to possibly comprehend that you aren't like 'normal' humans. I told you, I grew up with your father for a short time. We lost touch after he met your mother. But he was just as good a man as his father. Just as, deep down, I am sure that you are. My sister saw it. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made the loyal choice to remain at your side in your company even at your worst moments. It's what our family has done for years, Seto. Looked after each other."

"You are out of your ever-loving mind! I've always heard that people could go nuts out here in the sand and heat, but you… You top the cake of insanity. Immortality doesn't exist. Magic is nothing more than an illusion based on technology. And I am not related that closely to a three-thousand-year-old priest!"

Adais drew a deep breath and resisted the urge to grab the CEO and slam his head against the tablet. "What more do you need before you acknowledge the facts that are right in front of you? Especially when to deny yourself is to deny the very woman it was so clear you cared about."

Seto stared hard at him. "Sanura isn't-"

"Stop… just stop it." Adais closed his eyes and took another breath to calm himself. "I'm not going to keep fighting with you about this. You will see for yourself here soon enough."

* * *

Yami faced his cousin with a soft look in his eyes. "Cousin, please. Your father chose a path of hatred and greed, but I know you. You are my most trusted friend. Please don't make the same mistake. Fight by my side. Together we can beat Zorc and return peace to our land."

"Your own father couldn't protect this country. I had to do what was necessary to save our people. I was the one who had to face all the darkness. He thought his idealistic approach would be what saved everyone but he was wrong. It was me. I was the one who sacrificed everything in order to help the Pharaoh bring his precious peace. You are just like your father. If he was unable to do what was needed, there is no way that you could possibly protect this country at all. You should step down and let Set take your place."

Yami turned toward the dark priest. "Hate only breeds more hate. To fight in this way, the war will never end."

"Yes, your father said the same thing. And yet, I was the one who found the solution to our problem. Your father took it and used it. He took all the credit. At that point, I realized that he would always be the light, while I would always be the shadow behind him. So I took action. I did what I had to. Just as I will do now in order to see Set take his rightful place on the throne. If it wasn't for me the Millennium Items wouldn't exist!"

"And neither would this mess," Aurora pointed out coolly. "The Items may have helped them stop one enemy, but their creation created another more powerful one."

"Agreed," Hasan said with a nod. "It sparked the rebirth of Zorc."

"And now Zorc can finish what I began, by crushing the Pharaoh and his followers and allowing a new, better, more deserving king to take the throne." The Priest stopped to take a breath. "You will never understand what I have been through. I devoted my life to my brother and received nothing in return."

"You're wrong!" Shimon argued. "You are just too blind to see it."

"I gave up everything in order to help the Pharaoh save the kingdom. I killed innocent people. My loyalty never changed!"

Set scowled. "You taught me so much. You taught me how to do good. When I pledged to serve the throne, you were the one who guided and helped me. You supported me. And now you show me that your loyalty was a lie?"

"You were destined for greatness, Set. This is also why you keep crossing paths with the White Dragon. You were the one chosen to wield that power."

Aurora frowned.  _White dragon… but…_

"I refused to take the life of the woman to have that Dragon. That is not how I will gain it," Set said defiantly. "If the White Dragon is destined to be mine like you say, it will come to me in a different way."

* * *

Adais watched Seto as he watched the images play out on the tablet.

"White Dragon? As in Blue Eyes?"

"The very same. Still going to deny your past?"

The voices of the battle began to be heard again.

"Aknadin! Stop lying to your son and set him free!" Yami demanded. "Set is too good a man to be led to your darkness!"

"He will be Pharaoh!" The Priest shouted.

"What's the point?" Aurora asked suddenly. All eyes turned to her. "When the Dark Lord awakens, he will destroy this whole land and more. What's the point of being a Pharaoh then? There would be nothing left." She turned to face the High Priest. "Please don't do this, Set… You don't honestly want to do this…" She cried out and took several steps backward when a beam of light forced them to separate.

Yami reached out and grasped Aurora before she could lose her footing and helped balance her back on her feet before turning toward the Priest. "I'm tired of your lies, Priest. Why are you really doing this?"

"Because my son deserves what I never experienced- Power and respect. And when Zorc arrives, that is exactly what Set will receive."

Set grew silent a moment, watching the man who was once his father. Slowly, he began to step forward.

"Set?" Yami questioned softly, in disbelief. "Set, no!"

* * *

Saphira stifled a yawn as she continued to watch over Kisara as she had promised. She could feel the drain in power coming from Aurora but was unable to leave to help. Natara, Braedon, and Draxon had rallied the guards left at the palace just in case the battle was brought their way so there was really nothing more they could do. She cast another glance toward the head of the bed and straightened when she heard Kisara scream the word "no!" and sit upright.

"Oh, Set, no! Don't do this!"

Saphira hurried to her side. "What is it? What is Set doing?"

Kisara tilted her head up toward the young warrior. "He is being tempted by the darkness. That isn't what he was meant for. I can't allow him to fall into the shadows!"

Saphira took her hand and helped her out of bed. "Then there is only one thing we can do."

"What is that?"

"Go to Set and show him there is another way. Come on, let's go!" The two women left the bedroom and began to run at full speed through the halls of the palace.

* * *

Shimon stepped in Set's way. "Set, stay with us, please. Help us fight this darkness together!"

"We need you to stand with us," Isis pleaded.

"They are all lying to you, my son," the dark priest told him, coaxing him closer. "The Pharaoh especially is threatened by you and your power. He is just trying to keep you down."

"No, dark priest," Hasan argued. "The Pharaoh is trying to protect Set, just like your brother protected you."

The priest scoffed. "My brother took all the glory and left me to the shadows! Now his son shall pay! I won't have to wait for Zorc to destroy him. I will do it myself right now!" He sent forth a magical attack in Yami's direction. Yami brought his arms up to try to ward off the magic. The Priest laughed. "You are weak, just like your father." He shouted in anger when he realized Hasan had once again moved in front of the Pharaoh to keep him safe from the attack.

"You forget, dark Priest, so long as I am here, no harm will befall the Pharaoh."

* * *

Saphira and Kisara continued to run with Kisara calling out for Set to answer her. Her worried prayers being spoken as they ran. Saphira kept her voice silent, focusing all of her energy on trying to locate the Priest. There was a glimmer of response and she doubled her speed, reaching back to grasp the younger woman's hand and help her keep up.

"Please don't let us be too late…" Kisara pleaded as they ran.

Saphira bit down on her lip worriedly.  _Hang on, Priest Set, we are coming. Please don't leave us. Please, don't go into the darkness._

* * *

 


	13. Secrets Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to remind you that if you have been reading for a while, you know that this version of events is more told through the eyes of the OC's who are in this version. This is an AU version of this telling of events. This is not always going to have the duels and battles, or even some of the details from the show, in fact, some chapters might have more to do with the OC's than some of the actual characters (Believe me, there are reasons for this). That being said, this means that the series is going to have a much different ending, though it might come as a surprise in the end. I just feel it is best to get certain facts out there so they are known.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

Adais and Seto continued to watch the events taking place in the Pharaoh's memories. Seto was transfixed. His eyes showing traces of wanting to believe, while still refusing to at the same time. Adais paced as he watched, wishing there was a better way for him to be able to help his father. His attention was caught and returned the images on the tablet when he heard Bakura's voice. Not because he knew he should not be hearing it within the events in the memories, but because it seemed the voice was speaking in the air around him and Seto.

"It's time to add another twist to our game," Bakura said thoughtfully. "The sides are not even. Perhaps I should take a trick I've learned from the Pharaoh. I should be able to borrow a little outside energy to bring back a former pawn of mine."

"What is he talking about?" Seto asked receiving only a confused shrug from Adais in response.

"Oh, Kaiba," Bakura called out in a sing-song voice. "And yes, you, too, Adais, son of the Pharaoh… Are you both ready to become more than just spectators in this game?"

They both looked at each other and blinked rapidly in shock. The room shifted and began to swirl under their feet. The Pharaoh's tablet seemed to be moving closer to them until it appeared as though they had begun to pass through it.

"Where are we going?" Seto demanded.

Adais looked around when the spinning stopped and they were surrounded by blue sky and clouds. They were suspended above the city, just looking down below them. "Looks like we were taken to ancient Egypt."

"But what are we doing here?"

Adais shrugged. "You said Bakura challenged you in order to get your brother and my sister back. Maybe he's finally decided to wake up and accept?"

Bakura's laughter rang out around them.  There was a sudden gust of wind and the two men found themselves blown apart, flying downward in separate directions over the city. Adais lost sight of Seto just before he found himself landing roughly against a stone building. He groaned and slowly turned, using the wall to ease himself into a standing position. He frowned as he looked up. He knew this place. He knew it well. It just looked… newer… than he last remembered it.

"I wonder…"

"Dad?"

Adais blinked and spun around at the sound of his son's voice. "Yugi?"

"Dad! How did you get here?" Yugi asked him as he ran toward him and jumped up to give him a hug.

Adais hugged him tightly. "Apparently, Bakura needed a few more players. Kaiba is here somewhere, too."

"Yeah, we were told Bakura took Mokuba and Miss. Sanura. We haven't seen either of them since we got here, though."

Adais, looked around and half-turned back toward the building behind him. "I'm sure they are around here somewhere." He ruffled his son's hair and turned to face the door completely.

"Is this really it?" Yugi asked him softly.

"Depends, exactly, on what 'it' is supposed to be."

"Miss. Aurora told me we needed to find the Pharaoh's name. We tried the palace with no luck. We were hoping the Pharaoh's tomb would give us a better chance."

Adais nodded with a light sigh. "Then you've come to the right place. This would be his tomb." He began to start moving into the building. "If you are going to find it, we might as well get inside. Just remember, there are traps everywhere."

"You know where we are going, dad?"

Adais nodded stiffly. He was pretty sure he knew what was coming. "I remember this place. I have a pretty good idea."

"Your dad must have studied this place back in our own time," Téa said gratefully.

"Not exactly," Adais corrected.

"Whadda ya mean, 'not exactly'?" Joey asked.

Adais sighed again. He knew there was no backing out of things now. The time for secrets was now officially done. It was time his son knew the truth. "I spent a lot of time here as a child," he explained, slowly coming to a stop in the hallway. His memories had begun to crash over him. He had been so young when his father was lost to him. Coming to this place to visit a chest that housed his father's body was all he could hold on to. He remembered wishing for more of his father. But Fate had decreed otherwise. Even in the recent events since the Puzzle had been put together, he still had very little time with his father. His sisters had been able to see him more than he did. It was a fact that stung. "My mother, sisters, and I would come here often. It was the only way I could see my father."

Joey and Tristan gasped in shock. "Your father?"

"You mean-" Téa started, the facts beginning to align themselves in her head.

Adais turned to face them. "By now, I know that you are aware that Sanura and Zahara are sisters. But, to Yugi, they are more than that. They are his Aunts, and they are his aunts because they are my sisters. Aurora is also my mother."

"But if she is your mother, too, that would mean that -" Téa started slowly.

"The Pharaoh is your father!" Yugi exclaimed with excitement. A wide smile brightened his face, but then his eyes grew wide as shock set in and he leaned against a nearby wall. "The Pharaoh is your father? But, but that would mean…"

"The Pharaoh is your grandfather, Yugi," Adais admitted finally.

Yugi was silent a moment, letting everything sink in. Adais felt bad for his son, trying to rush through everything. He was proud of him for keeping his strength through everything, but he had begun to honestly wonder when his son would eventually crack.

Yugi looked back up at his father curiously. Then he gave a quiet snort of a laugh. "Well, that certainly explains a lot."

Adais chuckled quietly, amazed at his son. "I am sure that it does. Now, if you are okay to keep going, we need to keep moving so we can help your grandfather defeat the darkness once and for all."

* * *

Set remained rigid against his father. "I'll never turn my back on the Pharaoh. That is my choice," the High priest told him defiantly.

There was a shock of white light that crashed into the middle of the cavern, stopping all attacks. It spun wildly, creating a whirlwind that began to take the shape of a man. When the sand settled, gasps were heard as it appeared the Thief King had returned.

"Bakura?" Zahara asked in disbelief. "But that's impossible… you were destroyed!"

"Did you miss me, Princess?" Bakura laughed. "It's so good to be back! And just in time, too. The Grand Finale is about to begin and the Pharaoh is about to say farewell!"

"But… how?" Shimon asked, still in shock.

Bakura cast a smirk at the Dark Priest. "It seems someone couldn't handle the competition. I had to return before the Dark Priest could be defeated." The Thief waved the dark Priest into silence when he opened his mouth to protest. He walked toward the Millennium Stone and faced the Priest. "You, yourself, have experienced Zorc's magnificent power. I, too, have been revived by the Power of the Dark One." His voice darkened toward the dark Priest. "You have lingered too long on your old hatreds and grudges. The new age is about to be ushered in and you have a new goal. We need a new king. We need Set." He turned to face Set directly. "The Dark Priest's mission was to grant you the Power of the Blue Eyes. This way you would have a god-like beast of your own to rule this land."

"What are you talking about?" Yami demanded.

"What's the matter, Pharaoh?" Bakura grinned. "Feeling threatened? Don't worry, you still have a bit of time left to your reign. We still have to bring the girl who wields the Dragon to Set. You see, Destiny is truly a cruel beast. Considering Set has been bound to the holder of the dragon since childhood."

"Kisara," Set whispered, his eyes wide.

"The young girl!" Shada exclaimed.

Yami turned to Shada. "Did you know about this?"

Shada shook his head. "It is true, we came to learn that this young girl had a power the likes we had never seen. It was the type of Power that was either a powerful gift or a powerful curse, either way, we knew we had to be careful that she didn't fall into the wrong hands."

"Tick tock, tick tock, Set," Bakura called out. "With Zorc about to rise, will you join the winning side before the game is over?"

The Dark Priest stepped down from the Millennium Stone and approached Set. "Listen to reason, my son. If you continue to side with the Pharaoh, you will only be throwing away your future. You were born to be a leader."

"Not like this, he wasn't," Aurora argued, turning toward Set. "You know this wasn't how you were going to rise to Power. Not like this at all."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "I'm afraid you have bigger things to worry about, Lady Aurora." He activated his Diadiankh and summoned Diabound, ordering him to attack. Hasan jumped in front to protect her and Yami from the blast.

"But his tablet was destroyed!" Shada protested.

"Perhaps so, but with all seven items in their place, the doorway between this world and the Underworld has been weakened. I no longer need a tablet to call forth my Diabound.

The Dark Priest called Set's attention again. "You see? And even the Queen tells you that you are to take the throne. That she made you aware of this long ago. You will be king!"

"Not. Like. This!" Aurora seethed. "It is not yet his time."

"Set, please don't listen to him," Isis pleaded. "You are one of us. A sacred Guardian. We all took the vow, Set."

"You say you do not wish to be like your father," Aurora reminded him. "But if you accept this dark power, you will be making the same mistake that your father did."

"Cousin, open your eyes. Open your mind! He is controlling you!" Yami called out, desperation reaching his tone.

"I am done with your meddling," the dark Priest snarled. A portal opened beside him. He reached out and grabbed Set's arm, all but throwing him through the portal before jumping through after him. Yami and Aurora tried to reach it but were stopped when Diabound stepped in their path.

"What have you done with Set?" Yami asked Bakura furiously.

"The same thing I am about to do with the stone." He snapped his fingers and the stone began to sink into the floor. "Get them both out of your reach until it is time for them both to be useful again. There is nothing that you can do. And at least this time a father can truly help a son achieve a dream."

Streams of darkness began filling the cavern, surrounding everyone in the room while Bakura laughed. Yami reached out and grasped Aurora's hand, pulling her toward him tightly, refusing to lose her in the darkness. As soon as he felt her head tucked against his shoulder, the darkness took over and nothingness was left.

* * *

"Kisara, wait!" Saphira chased after the younger girl as she ran through the marketplace outside the palace. As fit as the warrior was, she found it difficult to keep up with the girl on a mission. "Kisara!"

"Set!" Kisara called out, her eyes scanning over the crowds. "Set, where are you?"

Saphira skidded to a stop when she realized that Kisara had suddenly stopped in front of a taller man with short brown hair and cold, ice blue eyes. Her eyes widened and her heart stopped in her chest. "Kisara, that's not -"

"You aren't Set," Kisara said as she looked up at Seto. "You look like him. Almost exactly like him. But you aren't Set."

"You are… Kisara…" Seto said hesitantly, recalling the memories he had of this young girl. He allowed his gaze to briefly flicker up toward Saphira who was still staring at him in wide-eyed wonder.

"Who are you and why are you dressed so strange?" Kisara asked him, bringing his attention back to her.

Saphira reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's not from here, Kisara," she said softly. She continued to watch him as he lifted his gaze back toward her. "I'm not sure that you would understand."

"Why are you both the only ones who can see me?" Seto asked them.

"You are in a time in which you never existed before, Seto," Saphira explained to him as calmly as possible.

"You know me?"

"I do." They continued to watch each other for a moment before Saphira drew a breath. "It's because you are not within the Pharaoh's memories that no one here without some form of magic or Power can see you. Kisara and I wield a great deal of Power that not many here have," she finally explained.

"So… how, exactly, do you know me?"

"As if you would believe me," Saphira replied more coldly than she had intended to. "Simplest answer that you would believe is that I was there with everyone during the battle with Doma. However, Gods forbid you would acknowledge me as your grandmother when you deny your own grandfather because you refuse to believe that maybe, just maybe, there is such a thing as magic in this world."

"My grandmother?" Seto's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "But that's impossible!"

"No. No, Seto, it is very much possible. I lived it many years ago. I know. And not being able to be a part of your life has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to live through. But your adamance that people like me can't exist forced me away from you. Perhaps one day that will change. For now, I don't exactly know what Bakura's plans for you are, but coming face to face with everything you have always stood against is definitely high on the list."

"What do you mean?"

"We don't have time for this," Kisara interrupted. "There is an evil force threatening our land and we must act quickly or all will be lost."

"What?"

Saphira sighed. "She means your grandfather is about to make a grave mistake and we have to stop him."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Believe what you want," Kisara told him as she started to run again. "The darkness is coming, and I have to warn Set!"

"One track mind, that one," Saphira quipped as they ran passed Seto and continued through the marketplace.

Seto watched them for a moment before he turned and followed. He may not have known what exactly was going on, but he had a feeling that they could lead him to someone who did.

* * *

Aurora slowly opened her eyes and stood, looking around cautiously. "I'm really getting tired of this blackness turned to some strange place routine," she muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. "And always just when we are beginning to have the upper hand."

"You started to realize that too, hmm?" Yami asked her as he and Hasan approached her. "He doesn't like to lose. So when it comes close to it, he changes the rules."

"All the other Shadow games had the basic rules," Aurora commented idly. "There was structure. There wasn't a way to stack things one hundred percent to one side or the other. Bakura isn't just making the rules, he is changing the game like a child who isn't getting what he wants."

Zahara limped up to them and leaned against a small rocky foundation. "That's because he was a child when Zorc took him."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked her.

"Bakura was so little. So young. He was a child when his village was sacrificed. So all he knows is the darkness and the ability to twist things to his advantage. He has played the games for so long as a kid that he's mastered all forms of manipulation that comes with it." She sighed. "Not even he can tell the lies from the truth anymore. He really is just a pawn. Not because I want to be blind, but because he truly is."

Aurora nodded. "I believe you. Unfortunately, there is little we can do now."

"Agreed," Yami said with a nod. "We have to find the others and get back to stop this. Zorc will be reviving any moment and I still don't know the key I need to defeat him."

The Dark Magician appeared before them. "The sooner we find the other guardians, the better we will be. Bakura surely plans to kill us all off one by one now that we have been separated."

"And there is no telling what plans he has for Set," Aurora agreed.

"Something to bring him the Power of the Blue Eyes. That is the only thing that is certain," the Dark Magician predicted.

There was the sound of crashing, crumbling, and screams somewhere ahead of them. Hasan turned toward the chas and made a thoughtful sound. "The attacks have begun."

"If only I could remember!" Yami growled at himself. "I beat him back before… But how?"

Aurora sighed softly and reached out to touch his shoulder. "Yugi will find your answer, Yami. I know he will. We just have to somehow keep everyone alive until then."

"You make it sound so simple," Zahara said shaking her head. "Not everyone will be able to be saved here today. We can only do what we can."

"I know…"

"No… Not exactly, you don't know."

"What are you trying to say, Zahara?" Yami asked her.

"I just left Isis' side," Zahara explained quietly. "She was holding Karim… He… he's gone… Isis pleads that we can end this so there will be no more. No more death, no more killing. She doesn't want to lose anyone else. She asked me to find you and tell you to find Set. To bring him back. To end this now."

Yami nodded. "I will go and find him. Hopefully, I can find him before that dark priest can use his magic to corrupt him."

Zahara stretched her neck. "You and Mother go and protect Set. I'll do what I can here to help the others."

Yami opened his mouth to protest when the Dark Magician stood beside her. "Hasan and I will make sure she is kept safe, Pharaoh. She speaks the truth. You and Set are truly our greatest chance right now. He must be found. If I am needed, I will respond to your call."

"Very well," Yami relented, stepping close to hug his daughter. "Just please be careful."

"I will, Father. You and Mother take care as well. Come back to us…"

They both nodded and began running across the land. They came across a couple of horses that had been caught up in the time dispersal and climbed up to use them for easier and faster transport. Yami glanced at Aurora and she nodded silently at him. She could barely make out Set's unique aura trace and she was locked on to track him down. As they sped over the desert, they only prayed that they would not be too late.

* * *

Adais walked through the tomb in silence, listening to Yugi and his friends as they commented on the markings on the walls around them. So many memories and yet none of them really happy. Bittersweet was probably the best word he could come up with to describe it. So lost in his head, Adais almost missed his son when he fell into step beside him, looking up at his father with questioning eyes.

"Yes, Yugi?"

"Does mom know?"

"About me? How old I really am?"

"Yes, and your connection to the Pharaoh."

"She knows that I am different. That I age slower and will outlive all those I care about one day," he answered softly. "It was hard for her to believe at first. She thought I was joking."

Yugi laughed which brought a smile to his father's lips. "I bet." Yugi was quiet a moment before he looked up again. "Is that why you aren't able to stay long when you come home? Why I have mom's last name?"

Adais coughed and his step faltered. These were questions he knew had to come, but questions he honestly was not ready for at that time. But unfortunately, he did not have much of a choice. "Yes, to a point. It was a very hard decision for me. I didn't want to stay away. I wanted to be a good father who was in your life. But your mother was afraid you wouldn't understand. So I kept my job as protector of the tomb and temple for my father even after the puzzle was solved. It allowed for the excused absences. I still don't like it, but the decision was made thinking it was best for you. As for the last name… well… Considering my Father's name was lost to us, we didn't exactly have a last name other than Mother's… Her true name was Lady Aurora Phoenix.  Yugi Phoenix just didn't ring as well together as your mother's last name for you," Adais attempted to explain with a light smile.  "We took the name Kornari after the time came for all of us to come out of hiding together.  Being out in the real world, a last name is apparently kind of a big deal."

Yugi laughed more at this. "Okay, I can accept that," he told his father earnestly. He was thoughtful once again before he came back with a new question. "What was he like? You know, before being trapped in the puzzle."

Adais sighed sadly. "I don't really have many memories. I was so young and that was three thousand years ago. I barely remember his laughter while my sisters and I played tag around his throne."

Yugi grinned. "You really got away with that?"

"Yeah, I remember him being a good father. Playing with us when he could. Doing what he could to make sure we knew that he loved us. I remember a picnic down by a river in the gardens of the palace…" His voice trailed off.

"Dad?"

"My sisters and I were three, almost four years old. I remember him coming to our room one morning before Mother. He held us all tight. I remember Sanura wiping a tear from his face. Father never cried. Especially in front of us. But he tried so hard to convince us that everything was alright. We spent that day with Mother and Father, playing in the water and chasing butterflies. Father called upon Kuriboh with the magic of the puzzle and we bounced around on it like a fluffy, bouncy pony of sorts." Adais gave a short chuckle and reached up to wipe a tear from his eye. "It had been such a good day. But it had been our last day with him."

"Last day?" Téa asked gently. They had all come up closer to Yugi and Adais while they had been speaking.

"Yeah," Adais answered. He took a breath. "We got home from our day of fun and I remember seeing Priest Set standing there in front of the door to the throne room, just waiting for my father.."

"What happened?" Yugi prodded.

"I honestly don't know," Adais said with a shrug. "Father told Mother and her friends to take my sisters and me somewhere away from him. Mother tried to argue, but he told her he didn't want her, or us, to see what was about to happen. So Mother took us to where Father told her to. Then I remember her telling Aunt Natara to watch us and Mother ran out. When she returned, she was silent. She held all of us and all she would eventually begin to say was that she was sorry over and over again. We never saw our father again. Not alive, anyway." Adais stopped at a small doorway and stared into the darkness.

"That's so sad," Téa commented softly. "You've been protecting him ever since?"

Adais nodded. "Well, Mother has been. She was here the day Yugi's grandpa found this place."

"She had to have been the woman Grandpa said guided him to safety after he found the box," Yugi said thoughtfully.

Adais nodded. "Yeah, she called me soon after and then she and my sisters were put into play.

"You make it sound like this whole thing has been a game from the very beginning," Tristan said incredulously.

"Kind of, which is why we have to be so careful. We don't rightfully belong here. One false move from any of us and we get killed here? We won't exist in the outside world either. We die there, too."

Joey let out a shout. He had gotten ahead of them while everyone was talking and when the group caught up with him, they understood why he was not moving from his place. Just at his feet were a few metal needle spikes that had come from nearby statues in warning.

"Dad told you the place would be filled with traps," Yugi reminded his friend.

Adais drew a ragged breath. "And from here on out, they just get more difficult."

* * *

Pain. That was all Sanura knew when her senses began to awaken within her again. She attempted to open her eyes, but found the pain to be even more intense and gave up for a moment. She had a high pain tolerance on a typical scale, but this was more than she had ever experienced before. It was not something she presently knew how to make go away so she could even begin to function properly.

"Sanu! You have to wake up!"

Sanura groaned. Not many called her by that nickname. She tried to place a name to the voice as she felt her arms become free of bounds she had not even realized she had been restrained with. She felt her body fall into a warm embrace before she was laid back onto a cold surface.

"Sanura? Sanura, come on, wake up. Snap out of it, you have to!" The voice was insistent and she felt her body being shaken. "Come on, Sanura…"

"She's breathing. At least that is a good sign," a female voice said gratefully.

"Mokuba is coming around now, too," another voice called out a short distance away.

 _Mokuba!_  Sanura came to with a start, panic surging through her as the name brought back the memory of what had happened before her fall into the darkness. "Mokuba!" She cried out desperately, sitting bolt upright and looking around frantically.

"I'm here," the young Kaiba's voice said weakly.

Sanura blinked to clear her vision, staring in shock as Mokuba was helped over to her by Yugi. She shifted as best as she could to reach out and take hold of him, holding him tight. "Oh, Mokuba, I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay," Mokuba tried to assure her. "I'm okay. Are you okay?"

"I seem to be having issues moving my arms and legs very well for some reason, but I think so, otherwise."

"Sore would be understandable. There's no telling how long you both have been hanging on that wall."

Sanura looked up at the voice. It had been the one that had been trying to wake her up. It belonged to her brother. "Adais? You are here, too?" She looked around curiously. "Where are we?"

"Father's tomb… Before he was laid to rest."

"Be…fore…"

"Bakura opened up Father's memories. He's playing a Shadow Game in them."

"He can do that?"

"Apparently. We have been all brought here to play our parts in this game."

"And Mokuba and I were bait?"

"For Kaiba to be put into place, yes."

Yugi looked at Adais. "You had to have been brought here to help us find Grandfather's name."

Sanura blinked at him. "I take it you know, hmm?"

Yugi nodded, his eyes sparkling. "Yeah, it was a bit to take in at first, but I think it's kind of cool."

"Does Mokuba know?" Adais asked.

Sanura shook her head, looking up to see Mokuba looking at something on the altar. "But it's coming. I'm not going to lie, I am worried about what will happen when he and Seto find out."

Yugi looked up at the altar. "That must have been where Grandpa found the Millennium puzzle. But there's nothing there now."

"Maybe the writing on the wall or something will have clues," Téa suggested.

"The Egyptian is all Greek to me," Joey told them, frustrated.

Adais and Sanura looked at each other with a grin. "Well then. I guess it's a good thing you have a couple of people here who can read it," Sanura told him.

"That's right," Mokuba said, looking over at her. "I remember you saying something about that during Battle City."

"Is there another room or something around here?" Tristan asked, looking around.

Adais frowned thoughtfully. "I don't remember Mother ever saying anything about one."

Sanura stood and stepped over to the altar. She heard joey let out another shout and a thud when he fell and hit the floor. A wall began to move and revealed another room behind the teen. She stepped away from the altar and, with Adais and Yugi beside her, entered the room.

"Is that…" Yugi looked at a sarcophagus that was resting on a short table in the center of the room.

"He's not in it…" Adais said, more to himself than anyone. "I know he isn't in it…"

Sanura approached the sarcophagus and lightly ran her fingertips over the top of it. She stared hard at the markings etched into it and chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Adais, come here for a sec, will you?" Her brother approached and together they tried to shift the lid of the sarcophagus over or off the main box. Joey and Yugi joined them and with a heave, they sent the lid crashing to the floor.

"Sorry, Father," Adais murmured with a wince.

"What's inside?" Téa asked with fear in her voice.

Sanura leaned over and looked inside. She tilted her head to the side and looked harder before a slow smile touched her lips. "Guess what, Yugi."

"What is it?"

"You are going to be able to save your grandfather."

* * *

 


	14. Zorc Returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

 

* * *

 

Saphira raced after Kisara. The young woman heard her name called from a short distance away and it seemed to refuel her energy. Saphira pushed herself to her limit to catch up to her as they neared a building in the town Set could be seen standing on the roof of. He was not alone and the presence of the Power within him made Saphira's stomach lurch. She did not know who that other person with Set was, but she knew that she did not like him at all.

Set left the rooftop and met them at the door of the building. Kisara did not stop until she had found herself face to face with him. She looked up at him, her eyes searching. Saphira tried to catch her breath as she neared them, bowing her head before Set.

"I'm sorry, Priest Set, she said she had to find you. She said that you were in danger and she would not leave you to it alone."

"At least you were with her," Set acknowledged. He looked back down at Kisara. "It's not safe for you here, Kisara. You need to go back to where I had you. I can't guarantee your safety here right now."

Kisara shook her head. "No, Set, I can't go back. You saved my life that night my village was destroyed," she told him earnestly. "Now it's my turn to save yours."

All three turned their heads up at the sound of dark laughter. The Dark Priest stared down over them from above with a sneer.

"The White Dragon lives within the girl. The dragon you were to possess. It is proof that you are destined to be king!"

Kisara stared at the darker priest. "That man… he is full of Evil, Priest Set." She gripped his arms tightly, trying to convey her insistence and fear. "Please, you mustn't listen to him!" She gave out a cry when the ground beneath them began to shake. Columns surrounding buildings began to crumble and fall. Saphira reached out and kept a grip on Kisara as well, trying to help keep them all on their feet.

The Dark Priest laughed again. "The Dark One's resurrection has begun! Set, you must act now. Kill that woman; sacrifice her in worship to your god and you will become the King with the White Dragon!"

Kisara's eyes widened and she froze in her spot. Saphira blinked and stared hard at Set. She did not dare to believe that he would kill an innocent young girl for that kind of power. That wasn't the Set she had grown to know.

"Priest Set?" Saphira's gentle voice reached out to him.

He stared hard at the man on the rooftop. "You may be my father, but I am not like you. I will not sell my soul to the darkness as you have done!" Set turned and looked down at Kisara and Saphira. "Come, we need to get out of here and back to the Pharaoh."

"You fool! I will not let you get away!"

The ground beneath them began to shake again and walls of stone came up from the ground, creating barriers and stopping them from leaving the area. Set snarled in frustration. Saphira opened her hands and her daggers appeared in her palms. She swiped at one stone, a surge of Power racing from the blade toward the stone, sending it crumbling to the ground. Set called forth his Duos to knock down another stone, allowing them to make a path for the three of them to run. They skidded to a halt, however, when the Dark Priest landed in front of them. Saphira grabbed Kisara's arm and forced her to stand behind her, keeping herself between the Dark Priest and Kisara. Set stood beside her, facing the old man as a second barrier to keep Kisara safe.

"Otherworldly, bitch," the Dark Priest snarled at Saphira. "Neither of you are a match for me. You cannot save her from me!"

"You won't have her," Saphira returned darkly. "I won't let you."

"You will see just how much of a match I really am, old man," Set challenged.

They watched as a purple, flame-like creature appeared in front of the Dark Priest. Without much effort, it reached out and took hold of Duos, crushing it and causing Set to double over in pain.

"Priest Set!" Saphira and Kisara called out in alarm.

"If you won't take her Power, then I will," the Dark Priest told him calmly.

Saphira brought her blades in front of her and with a quick flick of her wrist, she released the lock and the blades fanned out turning her daggers Zorc tessen warfans. She took a defensive stance, keeping Kisara behind her as he approached. "Over my dead body," she seethed.

"You really think that little witch is worth it?" The Dark Priest sneered with a grin. "I would have thought you would have helped me to destroy her. A father can easily see when a woman has feelings for his son. And after all, with her out of the way, you would be in prime position to be the next queen."

Saphira's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "Never!" Kisara whimpered softly behind her.  "Unlike you, I take no pleasure in harming innocent people for personal gain. That is not the way of my people!"

"Ah, but you aren't among your people now and you would make a formidable queen," the Dark Priest continued. "No one would dare to defy you both. The world would be yours to command."

"I think you are mistaken. Regardless to whether i am among my own people or not, i still have my honor and my memory of what we stood for.  I will not disrespect my heritage now.  As for Priest Set... He would never choose me. His heart belongs to another." Her breath hissed in as she heard the Dark Priest's voice in her head.

 _Are you so certain he has nothing in his heart for you as well? That if he didn't have to maintain the white witch's life just to defy me that he would be already at your side?_ The Dark Priest chuckled. "Someone doesn't pay much attention, does she?"

Set looked over at Saphira, but noticed that she refused to waver. She kept her self firmly planted in front of Kisara, protecting her as best as she could. She readied herself to attack or defend as she needed to when his father chose to act.  He remembered her promise to him about helping to keep Kisara safe. Even with his father's words about Saphira's feelings floating in the air, she still remained rigid in stance.  She never backed down.  Her unwavering loyalty to the vow she made him to protect Kisara told him more than any words could say. He truly believed she would do anything for him at that moment.

"Truth be told," the Dark Priest continued with a glare over Saphira's shoulder toward Kisara. "I would sooner see my son with you than that witch. I will not let her have him." He growled. "If she had any sense of feeling for Set at all she would willingly surrender the Power of the White Dragon now."

"Stand down, Miss, please."

Saphira frowned and cast a cautious glance over her shoulder. Kisara's eyes had closed and with a start, Saphira could see the Blue Eyes White Dragon appearing behind her. "No, Kisara, don't do this. You can't  just surrender."

The Dragon attacked the Dark Priest's creature, missing it as it dissolved and reformed in the sky. It sent an attack directly at Kisara. Saphira turned and tried to knock her out of the way, finding both of them struck by the attack. Saphira hit the ground, unable to move as she struggled to catch her breath. Kisara landed on the ground at Set's feet. The White Dragon began to attack again when the Dark Priest called upon a Spellbinding Circle to trap the Dragon. A Sealing Stone rose from the sands and Saphira watched fearfully as the Dragon began to be drawn into the stone. Kisara slowly stood and faced the Dark Priest again.

"No, Kisara," Set pleaded with her. "It's too much of a risk. You don't have the strength for this."

The young girl shook her head. "No, trust me, I know what I am doing."

"But your soul will be torn from you!" Set argued.

"It doesn't matter," Kisara told him softly. "At least it will be done to protect you."

"Kisara…"

"Kill her now, Set, and take her Power for your own!" The Dark Priest commanded. "Use the White Dragon's power to become Zorc's Dark king!"

Set looked over at his father. "Why? Lady Aurora was right. What is the point of a world of Darkness ruled by Zorc?" He looked down at Kisara. "Since I met Kisara, I have realized how dry and dark this world is. I would rather be a peasant in a world shining with hope, than a king contaminated by darkness."

The Dark Priest growled. "You fool! How dare you choose that peasant over your own flesh and blood!"

"The part of you that was once my father is long gone, old man. The father I was proud of died a long time ago on the battlefield. Kisara and I will not be pawns in your game of vengeance."

He Dark Priest let out a furious shout and a blast of Power shot out from his creature toward Set. Kisara glanced at Saphira briefly before she leapt in front of Set to take the blast herself. She fell backward into Set's arms, her Dragon sinking completely into the Sealing Stone. Saphira ran closer, kneeling beside them as Set pleaded for Kisara to wake up.

"I'm so sorry, I failed you," Set told her quietly.

Saphira watched silently as Kisara reached up and touched the side of his face. "It's not your fault," the young woman told him softly. She looked at Saphira and then back at Set. "Take care of him , Miss… He will still need your help…"

Saphira froze, her voice choked off as she watched Kiara's hand fall away from his face and her body go limp in his arms. Saphira's jade green eyes grew dark with hidden emotion and she lowered her face away when Set looked up at her. Their grief was short lived when the Dark Priest made a chance move to come closer to them. Saphira gripped her blades tightly in her hands, ready to strike. She stopped only when she felt a hand touch her wrist and she realized Set had stood.  He had recognized her intentions and chose to stop her.

"I knew if I took the shot at Set, that fool would try to protect him," the Dark Priest boasted. "It was for your own good, son. Now we can use her power to rule the world as father and son." He grinned at Saphira. "And you have your Dark Queen already in place beside you." His smile becameneven more sly when he faced Saphira completely.  "Don't you think it's aboutbtime you came out from under your friend's shadow as well? Beside my son, you both could show them all what a true Power Couple could do."

Set's jaw clenched. Saphira watched as he walked over to his father. The Dark Priest bowed before him. His eyes changed, however, when Set withdrew a short sword from his belt under his cloak. "I told you, my father died a long time ago." He stepped forward swiftly and plunged the short sword into the Dark Priest's chest.

Aknadin coughed and stumbled in his son's grasp. "Is this really your answer?" He wrapped his arms around Set. "Your flesh and blood came from me. Let me give you my soul and Power for this end. Whatever you believe, I do love you, Set, from the bottom of my heart. Now you can let my love boil your heart and ignite a hatred for the Pharaoh. You will still become the king of Darkness!"

"Priest Set, no!" Saphira called out as Aknadin's body dissolved and began to flow into Set's. His sword dropping to the ground while he fought off the feelings the flowed through him from his father's soul. "Please, no, fight it! You have to fight it."

He stumbled closer toward her, falling to his knees beside Kisara's body. Saphira watched him as he stared down at her. She could feel the wide range of emotions flowing through him. She could sense his struggle. She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. To her surprise, he reached up and placed his hand over hers. She looked up when she heard a horse approach and nodded as Yami and Aurora climbed off their horses and drew nearer to them.

"Set, cousin, are you alright?" Yami asked him.

"I've been waiting for you, Pharaoh."

Saphira blinked and tried to pull her hand away from Set's shoulder, realizing with a start that he had tightened his grip. She shook her head and tried to take a step away. "No, Priest Set… This wasn't what was supposed to happen," she pleaded softly.

"Zorc's arrival is near," Set continued speaking as if Saphira had not said a word to him. "He deserves to be met by a king worthy of his greatness."

Yami and Aurora looked at each other before he looked back down at Seto with a frown. "Set, what are you talking about?" Set released Saphira's hand and stood and Yami noticed Kisara on the ground. "What happened? Who did this? Where is Aknadin?"

Set raised his arms slightly at his sides. "He's right here."

"Priest Set…" Saphira said cautiously.

Aurora shook her head. "He's not Set. Set is there, but not in control."

Set laughed. "How very right you are, my lady. My son was having too difficult a time accepting his destiny, so I decided to help him. The time has come and the power of the White Dragon is mine. Now to just get rid of the Pharaoh and everything will be in order. Let's duel!"

"No, Set, don't do this," Yami pleaded. "Your mind has been clouded by the darkness."

"No, Pharaoh, for the first time everything is clear to me. Now, White Dragon!" Lightning struck the ground around them as the Dragon came forth and stood beside Set's body.

Yami glanced at Aurora before shaking his head. "Dark Magician!"

"Now, prepare to feel the force of two generations in one attack!" The White Dragon attacked the Dark Magician with a white lightning attack.

The Dark Magician groaned under the force of the attack. "He's right, their magic is twice as strong now." The Magician tried to fight back with Dark Magic attack but when the magic met, his was overwhelmed by the White Lightning and the Magician shouted for the Pharaoh as he was destroyed.

"Pharaoh!" Saphira called out, watching Yami double over in pain. She looked from him to Set and shook her head. "You have to stop this! Priest Set, snap out of this, this isn't you! You are loyal to the Pharaoh! You have always been loyal. Kisara wouldn't want this for you!"

"The Pharaoh has disgraced the throne long enough. He looks better stripped of his power," Set said, instead.

Yami stood up and faced his cousin. "Set, listen to me. You have to break free of your father's control or Egypt will be doomed. You swore you would help me to protect this land. Have you really forgotten the hope in your heart? Do you really wish to spend your life as a king imprisoned in a jail inside your own body?"

"I  _am_  protecting the land, from you!" Set exclaimed as he ordered the Blue Eyes to attack yet again. "You can't change my mind, Pharaoh! It's useless!"

Yami's eyes had squeezed shut until he realized the attack never came. He watched as the Dragon began to struggle and then fade away. He gave a sigh of relief and thanked Kisara. He frowned soon after, though, and looked around wondering where the Dragon had gone. Set's body began to take on a white light bright enough to make everyone shield their gaze. When it faded, they all opened their eyes again.

Set looked down at his hands in wonder, gently pressing them against his chest almost in disbelief. He looked up at Saphira and Yami and Aurora. Then his gaze drifted toward the body beside him. "Kisara," he whispered. He stooped down and picked up Kisara's body, moving to stand in front of the Dragon's Sealing Stone with her. "Her spirit lives within the White Dragon now." He knelt with her in front of the stone in prayer.

Aurora arched an eyebrow as she heard footsteps approaching them. Saphira looked up from Set, but her eyes were shielded. Yami glanced up and over at the familiar figure beside them. "You have come seeking Mokuba and Sanura?"

"If they are actually here," Seto said coldly. "None of this makes sense. I met a woman who says she is my grandmother, tells me my grandfather is some priest of importance, that I am three thousand years into the past, and yet none of this is like any of the visions I was shown." He nods toward Set. "Am I to guess that he is supposed to be my grandfather?"

Saphira glanced at him again but kept her mouth shut. Aurora eyed her curiously. Yami shook his head slightly. "That man is Priest Set. He is my cousin. Three thousand years ago, he fought bravely by my side to save Egypt. All we know now, is that same evil force he once helped me to fight back, has returned."

"You may as well go home, Seto," Saphira told him tiredly. "It's not safe for you here."

"No one tells Seto Kaiba what to do."

"She's right, though, Kaiba," Yami urged gently. "The evil is about to rise and things are only going to get worse. If you die here, you don't get to go back. Leave now while you have the chance."

Seto scoffed. "I'm not bowing to anyone. Let's see just how powerful this Zorc really is."

Yami shrugged. "Suit yourself, Kaiba. But don't say that I didn't warn you." He started to walk away, Aurora falling into step beside him.

Saphira returned to her place beside Set as he placed Kisara down once again in front of the Sealing Stone and removed his cloak to drape over her body. She heard his promise to return and bury her properly before he stood and looked down at Saphira. The warrior bowed her head to him respectfully.

"I think it is time you stopped bowing to me, Lady Saphira."

"Saphira, please, Sir."

"Saphira." He was silent a moment. "We have a battle to fight. Are you ready?"

"I am, Sir."

"Set."

Saphira blinked up at him. "Sir?"

"You are no servant of mine," Set told her coolly. "You do not bow to me. You do not call me 'Sir'. You are my equal on this battle field. You have my permission to call me by name."

Saphira nodded. "Yes, Set. As you wish."

They turned and made their way after Yami and Aurora. Seto watched them silently, his eyes narrowed in thought. He chose to follow them. He had something at stake in this battle as well, and there was only one way for him to get his brother and Sanura back.

"Have you any thought to how to defeat this Dark One?" Set asked Yami as he stepped closer to the Pharaoh.

"Even if Zorc revives, there is no real way to know the Power he has. Or even what it can do. All I know is that my name is the key to his seal."

"Well, this is a Dark Game," Saphira commented thoughtfully. "Every game has a solution."

"Okay then, let's go over what we know," Aurora said, her mind racing over the clues. "We know that three thousand years ago, Yami sealed Zorc away using his name as the key."

"As a safety measure, the Pharaoh then erased his own mind," Saphira added.

"But, unless the Pharaoh can miraculously regain his memory in the next few minutes, we will have lost this game," Set pointed out, his calculating mind carefully going over all of the moves that could be made.

"There is another solution, however," Aurora countered. "Yugi and his friends are seeking out the Pharaoh's name. I'm sure they will be able to bring it back for Yami."

"So long as Bakura hasn't figured on that and come up with a countermeasure to ensure it not to happen," Yami added darkly. "He's been about three steps ahead of us this whole time. It's like he wants me to have just enough hope, just so he can dash it away and destroy everything I stand for."

"To watch the mighty fall," Set agreed. "That does seem to be his plan."

"So you are thinking, he will allow Yugi and his friends to find your name, only to take them out then before they can make it back to you?" Saphira asked.

Yami nodded. "That is the current concern. And I would rather nothing happen to them."

Aurora's face was drawn tight and tense. "They will be okay. I'm sure they have found their way out and are on their way toward us as we speak."

"I hope that you are right," Saphira said quietly.

 _M_ _e, too,_  Aurora thought as they continued onward.

* * *

Sanura stepped back, holding a small tablet in her hand. A smile brightened her face and she turned to Adais. "It was here, all along. This room, this place, and our father's name."

Adais reached for the tablet when another hand swiped it from her and a dark laughter echoed the room. "What the-"

"Did you really think that it would be that easy? That I would just let you fools find his name and go running back to him?" The laughter came again. "Saving the world would have never been that easy to do."

"Tristan?" Yugi asked hesitantly. "Tristan, what are you doing? Give that back!"

"Yeah, come on Trist, what gives?" Joey asked, lunging for his friend.

Tristan jumped away and grabbed onto Sanura, pulling her in front of him as he waved the tablet in the air threatening to shatter it. "What gives, is that you fools have been running with a traitor all along."

"You aren't Tristan," Sanura said through gritted teeth. "Let me go, Theif." She reached up to his arm and gripped it tightly, but after a moment, she blinked and frowned.

"What's the matter, Princess? Fire been extinguished?" Tristan's face twisted into a cruel smile and he threw her to the side, Adais barely reached out to catch her in time.

"What happened?" Adais asked her. "Why didn't you burn him like you used to me when I wouldn't let you go?"

Sanura shrugged. "I tried to. I just couldn't seem to make it work this time." They both turned back to Tristan who had moved to stand face to face with Yugi.

"You thought you could save the day and save your friends," he taunted. "Guess again, Little Yugi. There's no way you can ever save them both."

"I beg to differ, asshole," Adais growled, leaping up and driving his elbow against the back of Tristan's head. The teen dropped to the stone, the tablet clattering to the floor. "We've all come too far to be stopped by the likes of you. A person doesn't need magic to drop an idiot."

Yugi beemed proudly and picked up the tablet. "Way to go, Dad!"

"Let's get outta here before he wakes up to stop us again," Joey said hurriedly.

"We can't just leave him here," Mokuba pointed out. "He might have been possessed, but Tristan is probably still in there."

"Mokuba's right," Yugi agreed. "We have to take him out with us."

Joey and Adais sighed and moved to either side of Tristan, each grabbing an arm to pick him up. "Fine, fine," Joey relented. "He's going to owe us lunch when he wakes up, though."

Sanura grinned a moment before her mind began to wander and she looked down at her hands.  _What happened? Why couldn't I create fire like I used to?_

"Hey, Sanu!" Adais called out. "Earth to Sanura, you okay back there?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm okay."

"You going to guide us back out of here?"

Sanura nodded to her brother. "Yeah, let's get out of here and find Father."

* * *

Yami and the others made it back to the chamber they had all been forced from earlier. Zahara and Isis met them at the entryway. The sky began to grow dark and the ground beneath them started to quake.

"No, we're too late!" Yami shouted over the noise.

Hasan jumped in front of Zahara, Isis, Shada, Shimon, and Mana as the dark clouds began to swirl and rocks lifted from their place on the ground. "Take cover!" He ordered them, taking a hit from one of the rocks.

A nearby building began to fall above them and Mana called forth her Dark Magician Girl to destroy the crumbling wall with a blast of magic. They gave the magician thanks and looked up in time to see Bakura in the air, riding the Millennium Stone like a magic carpet.

"You're too late to save anything now. The Age of Darkness has arrived!" Diabound rose behind him and followed. "If you thought Diabound was frightening before, just wait. The Lord of Darkness is here!" He and Diabound disappeared into red light. The Millennium Stone broke apart, scattering the Millennium Items everywhere. A bolt of red light struck the ground, splitting it open and fire burst forth in front of them.

"Dear Gods," Aurora breathed as she watched a figure rise from the flames.

"It's him," Isis gasped. "It's true, the being responsible for creating the Shadow Realm has officially crossed into our world!"

"H-how do we stop that?" Mana asked fearfully.

"There is only one person who truly can," Shada answered. "The Chosen Pharaoh…"

Zorc let out a roar that echoed through the sky and made everyone cringe. The creature exhaled steam from between his fangs and his red eyes began to glow. He had returned to finish the job he began three thousand years ago.

"What do you want from us?" Isis called out to him.

"Ages ago, I created the Shadow Realm where I have been trapped for centuries. But now that I have been released, I will bring both worlds together into the darkness; farewell mortals!"

Zorc fired a blast of fire from his serpent mouth, aiming for Isis and the others. Hasan jumped in front of them to take the damage with a pained groan.

"According to legend, not even Hasan can defend us against the Dark One forever," Shimon said, watching the golden protector struggle.

"Go," Hasan told them through the strain. "Go and evacuate the kingdom as best and as quickly as you can!"

Not needing to be told twice, they all mounted horses and rode off toward the city. Yami looked back over his shoulder just in time to watch Hasan fall under the Dark One's attack and his eyes closed briefly in prayer and thanks. Time was of the essence now. And with Zorc's rampage beginning, there was very little time left to do what was needed to be done.

Yami glanced over and found Seto had donned a horse to run with them as well. "Do you believe us now, Kaiba?"

"For all I know this is some kind of bad dream."

"We all could only wish," Aurora said sadly.

Yami nodded his head at Set who was riding double with Saphira. "Why don't you try telling that to him, Kaiba?"

"Am I expected to feel bad because some guy who looks like me lost his girlfriend?"

Yami shook his head again. "Have it your way, Kaiba." He snapped the reins on his horse and doubled the animal's speed, racing closer to the kingdom. He could hear the screams of his people as they all tried to seek refuge within the palace.

Aurora and Yami nodded in approval when they saw Set's men lined up and ready for battle, as well as Draxon and Braedon and Natara in full battle gear, ready to go. Natara was helping villagers to gather inside the gates to safety while Draxon and Braedon brandished their weapons, running their own horses to meet with Yami. Yami slowed his horse and began to make ready for the defense when he suddenly cringed and pitched forward.

"Yami!" Aurora cried out.

"Pharaoh!" Set jumped from his horse and reached his cousin. "You have grown too weak for this, cousin. Please, allow me to lead and reclaim my honor."

Yami gave no fight and nodded his head. "I trust you, Set. I know that you can do this."

Set stood and looked toward the troops, lined up and ready. "Be ready men! We must protect our homeland with our lives! In the name of the Pharaoh, we shall prevail!"

Aurora remained near Yami, helping to feed him what energy she could spare as they listened to Set give his commands. They heard the missiles as they were launched, looking up, they saw the missiles had no effect on the Dark One. Even the catapults of stones did nothing to stop Zorc from his advance. The troops were all blasted back by a single wave of the Dark One's hand as a shockwave was sent over the land.

"If we don't stop this soon, Zorc will bury everyone in darkness," Aurora said, trying to catch her breath.

"I have to get him sealed away again before he has that chance," Yami told her, slowly finding the strength to sit up on his horse again.

_Please hurry, Yugi. We need you…_

* * *

 


	15. Do You Believe In Magic?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for returning as this little fic begins to come to an end. Again, please don't be expecting to see the exact storyline that was once a part of the anime or the manga. This is an AU of YGO that include characters that were created for the Eudorian Chronicles. It's been fun and unique experience blending both worlds together. Rereading some of the old reviews, I have been grateful that so many had at one time enjoyed the blending of the two worlds as well. So I can only hope that other readers can have just the same kind of reaction to it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

Blasts of white and purple light sailed through the air toward Zorc. Aurora's scepter began to glow again, ready for another strike as Natara pulled back on the string of her bow, an arrow of blue and purple light appearing ready for fire. Saphira had lept up in the air, using her warfans to make a direct attack at Zorc, only to flip back out of the way when his arm swept up to redirect an attack at her. She landed back on the ground and looked up with a glare.

"He just doesn't stop," she said between panted breaths. She raised her hand to wipe a smear of blood off of her cheek.

Draxon groaned and stood, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I don't know how much more I can keep the ground together for the troops. The constant attacks are just coming too fast for me to keep it together."

Yami turned to Set. "We are going to have to retreat and regroup. It's our only chance."

Set nodded in agreement and looked out over the troops. "Back to the palace!"

Yami shook his head and slammed his fist into his other hand. "I didn't spend thousands of years trying to save the world just to lose now."

"This fight is far from over," Set told him.

They watched as Zorc continued to march closer to the palace walls. Destruction fell on all sides of him as he moved. The guardians watched, a mixture of fear, dismay, and barely held hope spinning in their spirits. Draxon looked at Saphira's wound before looking back up at Zorc.

Shimon barely kept the tremor from his voice. "The Dark One is too powerful for an army of mere mortals to defeat."

Braedon nodded. "Even with a few non-mortal beings in the mix, he's throwing us around like we're ragdolls."

"We need more of a supernatural army to attack him," Shimon suggested. They all turned as Zorc stopped in front of the palace.

"Supernatural, here we come," Set muttered as he turned toward the Guardians. "Now or never, summon your most powerful monsters!" He called forth Duos while Shada summoned his Two-headed jackal Warrior, Isis called forth her Spiria, and Mana called out for Dark Magician Girl.

Zorc bellowed with laughter. "Your meek warriors are powerless against me!" His eyes began to glow red as all the creatures began their attack. The guardians watched on in shock when the attack had no effect against Zorc. "That was insulting, even by your standards," Zorc growled as he responded with his own attack. In one blow, the monsters were swept away.

"He's invincible!" Set exclaimed. He reached out and grabbed onto Saphira as she was blown back by the wind of the attack as well.

Yami groaned into the attack and glared up at him. "Everything has a weakness."

Bakura's laughter could be heard throughout the sky. "What's the matter, Pharaoh? Defeating Zorc didn't seem so hard for you the first time. Seems you have lost your touch. I expected more from you." Zorc raised his serpent's head and a blast surged from its mouth directly at Yami. "The end, Pharaoh."

"Pharaoh, no!" Shada leapt in front of the Pharaoh, taking the hit for himself.

"Shada!" Aurora and Isis cried out in alarm.

Yami reached out and caught his friend as the guardian fell.  "Shada, wake up," Yami ordered, his tone not as commanding as he thought it would be. His feelings were overriding him as he realized how many of his friends he had begun to lose.

"I'm sorry, my Pharaoh," Shada returned weakly.

"Shada…" Yami's eyes closed as he fought back tears before he laid Shada back onto the ground and slowly slid his hand over his friend's eyes, closing them for the last time.

"More and more, your servants save you," Bakura taunted him. "But it will only cause you more suffering. Give up, Pharaoh. Your chance of winning is zero."

Yami stood, his fist clenched at his side. Slowly, he tilted his head up at Zorc. Fire flashed in his eyes. "My friend's death will not be in vain. I will defeat you."

Thunder rolled across the sky and lightning flashed, striking the ground, sending people running for their lives. Set stepped forward and faced his men.

"Stand your ground men! The Dark One must not get passed the palace walls. He must be destroyed at all costs!" His lips formed a grim line on his face as he looked over his shoulder at Zorc again. His eyes were almost wistful, and his hand tightened at his side.

"We can do this, Set," Yami assured him quietly. "Bakura might be worried about Yugi and his friends finding my name, but he forgets that I have all my friends here as well. Together, we can end this. We won't be defeated."

"Such a tough guy," Bakura sneered. "We shall see just how long that arrogance lasts!" Zorc continued to attack the palace walls.

Shimon turned to Yami. "It's useless, Pharaoh. Our defenses are just too weak. Not even the Queen and her friends can make a dent in Zorc."

Yami glanced over at his wife who had turned her head away in shame. Saphira stepped up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Natara's jaw clenched tight and Draxon and Braedon just looked at each other before turning back to face Zorc.

"Not for a lack of trying," Set said idly in their defense. Saphira nodded slightly toward him in thanks.

"At this point, I can think of only one way for the Pharaoh to defeat Zorc," Shimon offered. "He has to summon all three Gods."

Yami frowned. "But without the Millennium Puzzle, I don't have the kind of Power for that." He noted his Diadiankh. "My energy is also much too low. We need the Millennium Items."

"Fair enough," Shimon relented. "Without the Items, none of us have the energy or strength that we need."

Isis stood with a determined sigh. "We must search the desert until we find them."

Yami frowned. "Weren't they destroyed?"

"No," Shimon said with a shake of his head. "When Zorc first arrived in our world, the Items were scattered into the desert. If we can find them, we might be able to save Egypt."

Yami nodded. "I'll go-"

"No," Isis interrupted. "You have other matters to attend to here. The soldiers need their king for support. They are depending on you. I can use Spiria as a guide, and I will be able to find the items."

"I'll come with you," Mana said, stepping forward. "Between the both of us, we should be able to find them even faster."

Yami frowned and began to shake his head. He did not want to risk any more of his friends. It just seemed too dangerous with Zorc's attacks as they were.

"Please, Pharaoh," Mana pleaded. "If Mahaado were here, he would have wanted me to go. I promise to work hard and do my best."

Yami sighed in resignation. "Very well, but please be careful, both of you."

"We won't let you down," Mana promised.

"Take the southern route," Set recommended to them. "We can distract Zorc on this end and give you a fair chance out of here."

"Thank you, Set," Isis said with a nod as she and Mana turned to prepare to leave.

"Good luck," Yami said after them.

Set turned back to the troops. "Alright men, fire!" Stones and wooden missiles were launched at Zorc, striking him again with no effect. The monster laughed, amused by the failed attempts.

"Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress!" Isis cried out as her energy drained with the calling of the creature.

"Isis?" Aurora ran to the guardian, kneeling beside her and Mana.

Isis shook her head and raised an arm in a motion to say she was okay. She took a deep breath and allowed them both to help her up. She climbed up onto the Dragon with Mana and together they flew off with Spiria guiding them into the desert.

Natara turned to Aurora. "It's time to get back out there and see if we can't help hold him back."

Aurora nodded and spun her scepter in front of her. "Alright then, let's get back to work."

Colors of Power lit up the land as Aurora and her friends all took to the sky and ground to fight. More stones and wooden missiles were launched and yet still the struggle made no difference. Natara fired an arrow at Zorc's serpent head and prayed for a miracle. She was rewarded by a blast of Power that crashed into her, Aurora and Saphira. All three women went crashing against the stone behind the palace walls.

"Aurora!" Yami hurried to her and helped her stand. "Are you alright?"

"I'm so over this…"

Saphira groaned and slowly sat up, stretching her neck with a sigh. "I am so not used to failing this epicly…" She blinked when a hand reached out to her and she looked up to see Set attempting to help her to her feet. "Thanks, Set."

Yami heard her and arched an eyebrow, allowing a small smile for the briefest moment. He wondered when their relationship had changed. He was glad that life would have turned out well for his cousin. His happiness was short-lived, however, when he realized the attacks were no longer striking the palace walls. He turned to look just as Zorc began firing fireballs at the Winged Dragon who had reappeared and was speeding back toward the palace. He watched as the Dragon managed to avoid the fireballs. He landed just long enough to drop Mana off with a sack before taking Isis back into the sky. Mana raced toward the Pharaoh.

"Where is Isis? Why isn't she back?" Yami asked Mana as she approached.

Mana gave a tearful look up at him. "She told me to get these to you, that she was going to face Zorc."

There was a cry and they all turned in time to see Isis falling toward the ground, her dragon destroyed. Spiria began to fade and whispers of farewell could be heard among the group. Mana fell to her knees, weeping for Isis. Shimon approached her and tried to bring some comfort.

"There is a way to save them from the Shadows, Mana. We have to gain back our strength and defeat Zorc. Give the Items to the Pharaoh so that Isis would not have died in vain." Shimon reclaimed the Millennium Key and gave the sack back to Mana. He turned back to face Zorc and aimed it for the Dark One. "Now, I call upon the Forbidden One!"

Just beyond the palace, a circle of glowing spots formed around Zorc. Five stone tablets rose along the circle, each showing a piece of Exodia, the Forbidden One carved on it. Shimon's jaw clenched and he glared at Zorc.

"Behold, Exodia, protector of Earth!" There was a shaft of light and Exodia appeared, bound in his chains. Cheers and shouts of joy could be heard from the soldiers as Exodia made his appearance. "If not for Exodia, this land would have one time fallen at the hands of its enemies a long time ago. It's because of its power that I had to have it sealed into five different stone tablets. I vowed then never to unleash it again. But the time has come for me to break that vow and break the seal!"

The chains shattered from around Exodia and it became a clash of the Titans in the sands of Egypt. Exodia ripped off one of Zorc's arms, but Zorc continued his assault. His arm in Exodia's hand turned to sand and a new one sprang from his shoulder. The battle grew more intense. Exodia lost one of his arms and it was tossed aside. Shimon clutched his arm in pain.

"Zorc is immortal, but so is Exodia," Shimon said painfully. Sand rose and formed a new arm for Exodia. More cheers could be heard as Exodia launched into another attack on Zorc.

"He's as powerful as Zorc!" Braedon exclaimed in awe.

"Let's hope," Draxon added as he watched. "Let's hope Shimon can maintain the energy needed to keep him going…" He added as he watched Shimon begin to struggle to maintain his monster.

Zorc laughed. "How does Exodia expect to overpower me? He draws his life force from a single human while I am created from the darkness itself!"

Shimon did not waver. "Then observe what the life force of a single human can do, Exodia, Obliterate!" There was a huge blast of power and everyone watched as Shimon offered up every ounce of his spirit to implore Exodia to burn through the darkness.

"There is not a creature in existence that can overpower me," Zorc boasted. "My strength is infinite!" He conjured a counter-attack and the dark blast burst through Exodia.

Shimon gasped and began to spit out blood as he suffered from the attack. The Forbidden One was split in half and then crumbled to dust. Shimon fell to his knees. "Forgive me, Pharaoh, I have failed you." He fell completely to the ground, the Millennium Key dropping beside him.

"Do you see, Pharaoh?" Zorc bellowed as he faced the palace again. "Opposing me is futile. I am the embodiment of pure darkness, and the more this world is enveloped in the Shadows, my power will only grow. It is time for you, Pharaoh, to bow to your new master."

"Never!" Yami shouted back at him. "There is still a light of hope that shines upon the people of Egypt. And that light can illuminate the darkest of shadows!" He took the Millennium Puzzle from Mana and his life counter was renewed. He faced Zorc again. "I face you now with the spirits of those who gave up so much to gain peace. In the name of Egypt, I will prevail!"

"Let me face him, Pharaoh," Set offered.

Yami shook his head. "You all have tried everything within your power. There is only one hope left and it lies in his hands. I won't let the friends who trusted me die in vain." He held up his Millennium Puzzle.  Zorc invaded my kingdom and threatened my people. Now he must pay for his crime." There was a blazing light from the Millennium Puzzle. He raised his Diadiankh and called out to his greatest hope. "Obelisk the Tormentor! Sliefer the Skydragon! And Winged Dragon of Ra! Come forth and rid this land of the darkness!"

The three gods burst from the temple and attacked Zorc. Sliefer struck first, knocking Zorc to the ground. Obelisk stood over Zorc, while Ra hovered overhead. The game had shifted into the Pharaoh's favor.

Yami's eyes darkened. "This will be the last turn," he said evenly. "This war will determine the fate of the world."

Bakura could be heard growling angrily. "Those monsters are no match for Zorc and I should know. Zorc and I are now one and the same!"

"Zahara was right," he breathed, glancing over to where his daughter was staring up at Zorc with sad eyes. "Bakura really is Zorc's puppet.  But the only way to take out Zorc is to take them both out." He turned back to Zorc. "The gods will destroy you!"

"By the time I am through with you, the Egyptian Gods will bow before the Lord of Darkness!"

"Obelisk, Fist of Fate!" The god struck at Zorc, sending him crashing to the ground. "Sliefer, you're next with Thunder Force!" The second God attacked, adding another blast to keep Zorc down. "Ra, may your light banish this darkness!" Ra rose into the sky. Aurora stepped back and closed her eyes, releasing her Phoenix Ka spirit to join Ra as a bright light surrounded Zorc on all sides- ridding the Darkness of all his shadows. "And now," Yami called out darkly. "It's time to end this: God Hand Crusher! Thunder Force! God Phoenix! Attack with all your might!"

The Gods attacked with such force that the pharaoh and everyone around him had been thrown back toward the ground. Cheers went up from the people of Egypt as Ra, in its joined Phoenix form, rose up into the sky over the desert. Aurora turned an exhausted smile to Yami as they stood and he reached out to pull her into a hug. Together, they watched Ra and Sliefer circle in the dark sky as the clouds began to part and the light from the sun's rays began to filter down and brighten the land.

Set stepped up beside Saphira and she tilted her head up to watch him as he scanned the land. After a moment he looked down at her. "It's over."

"Let's hope so," Natara said as she helped a limping Braedon walk passed them.

Mana jumped up and down happily. "You did it, Pharaoh!"

"We all did it," Yami corrected with a proud smile.

Aurora frowned and watched as Zahara took a few cautious steps forward toward the wall. "What is it, Zahara?"

She slightly shook her head. "I don't know. Something feels off." She looked up. "The Memory World is still active. The Game isn't over."

No sooner had her words been spoken did the ground begin to shake. People began to scream and run in terror once again. Set called out to his soldiers to stand ready, cursing when he saw them turning to run.

"No," Aurora whispered. Her hand tightened in Yami's as they watched Zorc's fist punch up from the ground. Streams of darkness spewed up to black out the sun.

"He's started a solar eclipse!" Natara exclaimed fearfully. "I can't reverse it. My energy hasn't had time to renew itself."

"Obelisk, Sliefer, Ra, Attack now before the light is gone!" Yami commanded frantically, trying to keep the upper hand he had just won himself.

Ra swept down out of the sky toward Zorc but the Dark One reached out and grasped his leg causing Ra to pull him from the ground as he soared back into the sky. Obelisk took hold of Zorc's leg joining the pair off the ground. Darkness swiftly took out what sun's light had been remaining and Zorc laughed. The Gods attacked but Zorc was able to repel them with ease. The royal group watched on in horror as the Gods began to turn to stone.

"Aurora," Saphira breathed. She and Set ran closer to the Pharaoh and his Queen.

Obelisk fell from Zorc's leg and crashed to the ground. Zorc released his hold on Ra and the god fell, landing on Obelisk, crushing the God, causing Yami to gasp out in pain and fall to his knees. Aurora reached out to him, gripping his arm tightly.

"Hang in there, Yami…"

"How?" Yami choked out. "How is he able to defeat the Egyptian gods?"

Aurora shook her head. Try as she wanted, she had no answers for him. Zahara stepped up as Zorc stood under the eclipsed sun laughing.

"Stop this," she pleaded softly as her voice did not carry the Power to be heard.

"The Gods have fallen!" Zorc boasted proudly. "Forced to surrender when confronted with the Power of the Shadow Realm. My world can now converge and consume yours. Watch as the world as you knew it crumbles into non-existence!" Zorc punched the head of Ra, breaking it off and dropping it carelessly to the sand. Yami coughed up blood and Aurora gave a pained cry as they both collapsed.

"Mother? Father?" Zahara felt her eyes sting with tears as she ran back to them. Mana tried to wake Yami while Zahara shook her mother. "Wake up, please wake up!"

"What happened to them?" Braedon asked.

"Damn it all," Saphira cursed, earning an arched eyebrow from Set. "They were both tied to Ra. The Pharaoh's energy and Aurora's Ka beast were both in that deity. By destroying Ra while Aurora's power was still connected to give it the Phoenix form, Zorc took them both out at once," she explained.

"They can't fight," Mana said sadly. She looked up as Zorc laughed again.

"You can never defeat me! I am invincible!"

Set looked around to see that all of his soldiers had run, panicked for the end they were certain was to come. "Mana, help the others get the Pharaoh and the Queen inside the palace."

"But-"

"Just go, Mana," Set interrupted. "Leave Zorc to me."

Draxon helped Mana lifted Yami up and carry him toward the palace while Braedon lifted Aurora to join them.

Set turned toward Saphira. "You should join them."

She shook her head. She stopped him when he opened his mouth to protest. "No, and you can't force me to. I am here to fight with you until I can no longer fight."

Set tried to stare her down, eventually realizing he had met his match in her and he hadn't the time to win against her so long as Zorc still stood to threaten their land. His lip curled into a half-smile and he turned back to Zorc. He raised the Millennium Rod above his head. "In the name of the Pharaoh, I will banish you back into the realm of Shadows." Together, Saphira and Set ran at Zorc. Saphira spun her war fans in front of her to create a slight barrier against the fireballs Zorc sent in her direction. Set managed to move swiftly enough to dodge the ones directed at him.

"Batter's up," Saphira quipped as she closed one of the fans and used the blade like a baseball bat and sent a fireball flying back toward Zorc.

Beside her, Set used his magic to call forth the White Dragon. The Dragon soared by them and attacked Zorc head on, knocking the monster to the ground. Without hesitation, the White Dragon attacked again, tearing off Zorc's arm. The Darkness began to recede once more from the sun, bringing light to the White Dragon and increasing its strength.

Saphira lept up with a shout and launched another magical attack which mingled with a burst of the White Dragon's Power to bring a startled shout from Zorc. She smiled when she heard a pleased roar from the Dragon. The smile faded almost instantly, however, replaced by a look of terror as Zorc furiously surged back up from underground again and seized the Dragon by the throat with the teeth from his serpent's mouth. He stood triumphantly.

"Eventually, every creature must serve the darkness," Zorc told them.

Saphira watched, helpless, as the White Dragon began to turn to stone, but when she looked down and saw Set's arm and the Millennium Rod beginning to become consumed by the Shadows, she felt true fear enter her heart. Her vow to Kisara surfaced in her mind and let out another shout.  _I won't let him be taken!_  Saphira thought furiously. She called upon all of her Power and allowed it to fuel her wrath-filled attack directly at Zorc.

He laughed again. "Not strong enough, girl," he taunted her. Tearing the Dragon in half, he threw one part of the dragon into a nearby building and swatted at Saphira with the other. Saphira cried out as the stone Dragon struck her and she felt darkness swim through her head. She crashed into the ground near Set who had already fallen as his dragon had been destroyed.

Zahara turned toward Natara. "What do we do now?"

"Pray Yugi gets here soon?" Natara offered with a shrug.

They watched on as it appeared Zorc had become distracted. There was a brief moment of silence and suddenly a brilliant flash of light could be seen that forced them to shield their gaze momentarily. When they lowered their arms to see again, they gasped as the Blue Eyes White Dragon appeared before Zorc.

"But that's not-" Natara stopped, her words failing her.

"It's Seto Kaiba's Blue-Eyes!" Zahara finished for her. Her curiosity took away some of the awe she had felt and she could not help herself. "Heh, I wonder if he finally decided to begin believing in Magic..." She kept staring straight ahead and missed Natara's sly grin cast in her direction.

"Your ancestor has already tried this trick once and failed," Zorc informed Seto. "What makes you think your Fate will be any different?"

"I don't care who you are, or what will become of this world," Seto shouted back up to him. "But I refuse to let you play with human lives as you have!"

Natara arched an eyebrow. "Probably the first sensible thing I've ever heard him say," she mused.

"Now, you may have been able to handle one Blue Eyes," Seto started as Zorc finally grew silent. "But let's see how you fair against three Blue Eyes in the form of Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

Two more Blue Eyes appeared and the three began to merge. The attack of the Ultimate Blue-Eyes sent Zorc crashing through a city wall.

Zorc seethed. "That's the last mistake you will ever make. Prepare to join your ancestor in eternal darkness!"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I had a moment in which I realized I left an open-ended moment for a potential one shot for Set and Saphira. I have been tempted to write it anyway. If I do, it will possibly be posted to Wattpad or as an added story or chapter under this series title. There could be a few little one shots added under the Pharaoh's Fate series heading that are just bonus features. Think of it as deleted content (literary blooper reel). If you want to see it, feel free to look me up and follow me or let me know so I can alert you when it is ready. I also recently started a account under this same pen name if you are interested in making a pledge to my account to catch special sneak peeks of anything I am currently working on, and potentially posted full-length chapters and short stories. If you like what you have read here, I hope you will join me there as well to see what isn't posted here.
> 
> Anyway, the battle is nearing an end… that means the big finale is around the corner. I'm just as excited to see what is going to happen with some changes I had made. It's made me a bit curious. My question to you? Can you guess what's on the way? XD


	16. In The Name of the Pharaoh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And we are back! Time for a brief trip away from the battle as we need to return to another little group running through the sands of Egypt lol.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

"Hey, did you guys hear that?" Téa asked, causing everyone to stop and listen. A rumbling sounded from somewhere behind them and Sanura turned to see rock tumbling down the walls of the tomb. She grabbed Mokuba's hand and together, they started to run.

"Something's happened to trigger a cave in!" She shouted behind her. "Everyone run!"

The group forgot all about tricks and traps as they followed Sanura down the tunnel and around every twist and curve. She weaved and ducked, remembering everything she could about her time visiting there as a child after her father was sealed away. She was grateful the others took her lead until eventually, the opening revealed itself and they all left the dark cavern only to find themselves teetering on a steep cliff's edge.

"What the hell happened out 'ere?" Joey asked, gripping the wall behind him.

"Looks like the world split open," Tristan answered. He had come to a while back, feeling lost and confused, but ready to run. "So how do we get down?"

Sanura and Adais looked at each other with a shrug. Yugi gave a defeated look over the edge of the cliff while Tristan began to run his mouth with ideas, none of which had any merit to help when he realized he didn't have a means to fire a rope to the other side so they could slide down it.

Joey finally shushed everyone. "I got it, follow me!" He found a section of the cliff that felt sturdy enough under his feet. He stepped down and began to slide toward the bottom. The others followed his lead and soon they had all reach the end, turning, and halting when they found themselves face to face with hooded riders, drawing swords.

"Dat Bakura ain't playin' fair," Joey grumbled.

"He wants to win, of course, he wouldn't play fair," Adais reminded him. "He will have a way somehow to try to stop you all from reaching the Pharaoh. We have to find the ways around all his barriers."

"I say head on is a great way to start," Tristan grunted as he jumped right in to strike a rider with his bare fist. He grabbed another, dragging him off his horse. Joey was next to jump into the fray.

One of the riders came running to Sanura and she brought her hand up, urging the fire to spring forth as she once had been able to, disappointed to learn her magic was not within her to use.

"What's wrong, Sanura?" Mokuba asked her.

She shook her head. "I don't know. I should be able to fight these guys off without hardly trying. They are easy and not even magically inclined enough to be a challenge. But I can't call forth any of my strength."

"Sanu, look out!" Adais leapt toward her, but Yugi and Joey managed to get there first as a sword came bearing down on to her head. They had their arms raised up and to their surprise, duel disks appeared.

"Whoa, where did dat come from?" Joey stared at his arm in wonder.

Yugi frowned a moment before his eyes widened in understanding. "I get it. This is a Memory World of magic. We are in a game of magic. So if we concentrate on something hard enough, we can make it appear or happen. Our thoughts become real."

"Well then, let's start giving ourselves a bit more of a helping hand, don't you think?" Tristan said, jumping up and concentrating on a duel disk to appear.

Joey joined him as they ran toward the remaining riders, bringing Gearfried the Iron Night, Flame Swordsman, Lava Battleguard and Swamp Battleguard to the battlefield. The monsters jumped into the battle but the group still found themselves surrounded as more riders appeared.

"We don't have time for this," Yugi said frantically. "We have to just concentrate on getting out here!"

Everyone agreed and closed their eyes. There was a flash of fear within Sanura as she wondered if any magic with her would work. Adais stepped closer to her and took hold of her arm.

"This way, I can get you out of here if you can't summon any form of magic at all." She nodded and thanked him silently as they all closed their eyes again, their bodies beginning to glow. There was a pleasant warmth around them and suddenly, their feet left the ground and they found themselves soaring up into and through the sky.

_We're coming, Father…_

Zahara gasped and gripped the edge of the wall when she looked up at the sky to see the real world beginning to appear beyond the clouds. She pointed upward. "Aunt Natara, look!"

"Oh no," Natara breathed. "The clash between light and shadow has created a bridge between the two realms."

Zahara whimpered softly. "But that means if Zorc wins this, he will have another new world to conquer - the world of our future!"

"Which we won't have if he wins here anyway," Draxon pointed out as he came back outside from the palace. He let out a shout when he watched Zorc attempting to crack the ground beneath Seto's feet and he knelt down, placing his hands on the ground. A small hue of light could be seen masking his hands as he closed his eyes to concentrate.

"Bow before your new Lord and Master!" Zorc shouted.

"Never!" Seto bellowed back at him. He felt the hum of power under his feet and realized the ground had stopped trembling beneath him. He looked up to see Draxon with his eyes closed, his lips moving soundlessly and his hands glowing steadily. He didn't have time to question it as he would have liked to as Zorc began the attack on his Ultimate Blue-Eyes again. "I bow to  _no one!"_

In the palace, Zahara had left the wall to check on her parents. Mana had knelt over Yami chanting something softly as Aurora began to sit up nearby. Braedon offered Aurora a small cup of water, which she graciously accepted. A moment later, the Pharaoh opened his eyes as well. He took a moment to get his bearings and then he sat up and looked around a bit too quickly. He blinked to make the room stop swimming.

"Where's Zorc?"

"He's outside battling Seto and the Ultimate Blue- Eyes White Dragon," Zahara informed him. She watched him stand and hurry toward the balcony wall. She approached him as he watched the fight. "While you were unconscious, Set's White Dragon was defeated. But then Seto apparently decided he believed in magic enough to be able to bring the White Dragon back in this form."

"He did it," Yami murmured in amazement. "Kaiba actually managed to do it." He looked up to see the portal that had been created between the two realms by the battle. He turned to Mana. "Please, get me the Millennium Scale. I am going to need it."

She nodded and ran to grab it, bringing it back to him and handing it over. Yami looked down at it for a moment, praying for Karim's soul and asking for his strength. The Scale and the Puzzle began to glow with Yami's Diadiankh, refueling his energy once more. He looked at Zahara and took a breath. He cast a glance over his shoulder at Aurora who had managed to stand and begin to make her way to the balcony. He waited until she was close enough and he leaned in to kiss her gently.

"Rest, my queen. That one took more out of us then we expected, but you need more time to heal. This time it is up to Kaiba and me."

Aurora hated it, but she understood and lightly touched his face. "Then go, my Pharaoh. Our people need you to be their champion. We believe in you." She kept her tears back as she watched him turn and leap over the balcony wall.

"Kaiba!"

"You're utterly insane!" Seto called back out to him, watching him jump off the balcony.

"Kaiba, I know you know what to do!"

Seto clenched his fist at his side.  The last thing he wanted to do was resort to everything he swore did not exist, but a sudden sense within him told him to jump and rise.  He took a deep breath and focused his energy until he felt his feet lift from the ground as he began to surge toward the Dragon. He disappeared inside the dragon while Yami stood atop it.

"Now, Master of Dragon Soldier, Dragon Saber Blast!" Everyone left on the balcony stared on as the fused beast released a massive ball of Power. It struck Zorc and the combined attacks created a large ball of light over the city. As the light grew, the Dragon Soldier was struck as well, causing it to shatter in appearance while Zorc was lost to the light.

Aurora clung to the balcony wall, her knuckles white as she stared into the light, waiting for the view to clear. Her breath stilled when she saw Yami laying on the ground. She began to breathe again when she saw him begin to move and sit up to look over the hazy desert.

"It's over…" Zahara whispered, daring to hope.

There was a snarl and Zorc reappeared in the haze. He stood over Yami. "Now we stand face to face for the last time. The light of hope stands against the darkness, and darkness will prevail. The universe was born without light. All that ever existed was a vast wasteland of shadows, and though fleeting moments occur in which light attempts to illuminate the darkness, in the end, it is always extinguished. The same will hold true for you, Pharaoh. You were the light, but your time has expired."

"No," Yami returned darkly. "You're wrong. There is no darkness without light. It is light that gave life to this world. It is light that gives hope. And it will be light that destroys you because even if I am defeated, the light of my soul will be passed on to someone else. It will never disappear until you are defeated!"

"Let's put that theory to the test, shall we?" Zorc challenged. He attacked but before the attack could hit, Hasan appeared in front of Yami, taking the hit. The mask cracked and fell from him. Except, when the face was revealed, it was not Hasan.

"Shadi!" Yami gasped in shock.

"You must never surrender to the Darkness," Shadi told him evenly. "The light of hope will soon arrive, bearing all that you need." Yami blinked as Shadi was destroyed by the blast.

_Bearing all that I need…?_

_Yugi!_  Aurora gasped when she realized what Shadi had been trying to tell Yami.  _He's coming, love. Yugi is coming with what you need to defeat the Dark One!_

Zorc laughed. "This is exactly as I predicted," he boasted. "Everything will return to darkness, just as it always does. Now, Pharaoh, it's time to die."

"Mother, look!" Zahara cried out, grabbing her mother's shoulder and pointing up. They watched as several streams of golden light lit up the sky as they soared closer to the palace.

"The light of hope," Yami repeated softly. "I can't give up. For all of those who fought alongside me, I can't give up." He looked up at Zorc. "This isn't over!"

Zorc huffed. "Your soldiers deserted you. Your friends have all given themselves to the Shadow Realm and yet you still prattle on about Hope?"

"My friends will be back," Yami insisted.

"Open your eyes, Pharaoh! Your reign is over!" He shook his head. "You live in a world in which the people thrive on the darkness. They continue to kill each other, it is their natural instinct. That will never be stopped."

"Stop," Yami commanded. "That's enough!" Yami stumbled and fell to the ground.

"No!" Aurora and Zahara lept from the balcony wall, landing hard but recovering enough to race to where he had fallen, kneeling beside him on either side. Both women, looked up at Zorc, their challenge in their eyes, daring him to attack again.

"You once had the power to lock me away centuries ago, Pharaoh," Zorc reminded him. "Seems you've grown weak in your old age."

Yami looked up at his wife and daughter. "I can't die here," he told them fiercely.

"Yugi's almost here, love," Aurora assured him. "I can feel them. Hang in there, just a little longer."

Yami struggled to rise to his knees as Zorc began to laugh. They watched him prepare another attack. He brought his hand up to release the power, stopping when the golden lights from the sky, lit up the ground in front of him. When the light faded, Adais, Sanura, Mokuba, Yugi, Téa, Joey, and Tristan could be seen.

"We're not too late!" Yugi cried out happily.

"Yugi!" Yami and Aurora called out.

"Thank the Gods," Zahara prayed with a smile. She jumped up and ran to her siblings, hugging them tightly. "Adais, Sanura, you're alright!" She paused a moment and stepped back to look at her sister. "Sanura? Are you alright?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I haven't been able to use my power at any time I've tried to call it since I woke in Father's tomb today."

"You…" Zahara turned and looked at her mother.

Aurora frowned, stepping away from Yami long enough to approach Sanura and give her a hard searching look. After a moment, she gave a light, knowing smile.

"She will be fine," was all she said. Her smile faded when she glanced over to see Seto's body lying unconscious on the ground. "She might want to make sure he is kept out of danger though."

Sanura followed her mother's gaze and with a start, she ran with Mokuba over to the fallen CEO. "Seto?" She gently shook him. His eyes opened slowly and he blinked them into focus.

"Sanura?" He looked just to the side of her as he sat up straighter. "Mokuba!" He reached out and hugged his brother tightly.

"Big brother," Mokuba said happily. "We made it just in time."

Sanura watched them with a light smile, but she kept her distance. She knew he didn't show much anything in public, but she also did not know what he had learned during his time in the Memory World.  Mokuba had asked his questions as they walked through her father's tomb.  He had caught on to the fact that she called the Pharaoh her father.  She finally came clean to the young Kaiba about everything she had ever held back.  He thought it was cool after everything sank in.  But she did not know what Seto knew or what he accepted. She feared that her time to be rejected had come. She lowered her head and felt her breath stop when she took on the sense of being watched.

"You're safe," Seto told Mokuba, patting him down and looking him over.

"Of course I'm safe. Sanura watched over me like she always does. She wouldn't let anything happen to me." He paused a moment before saying something that made her face burn red and her heart stop. "She won't admit it because it's how she is, but something happened to Sanura though."

Seto arched an eyebrow and turned his gaze to her. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," she answered him honestly.

He frowned.  "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "Not physically, sir." There was a moment of tense silence.

"Seto."

She blinked and raised her eyes up to him. "Sir?"

"We've been over this, Sanura," Seto told her evenly, his gaze not wavering. "Seto." He gave her a moment to process what had just happened. "Now, you're not physically hurt, so what happened to you?"

"I couldn't defend myself as I have in the past when we were attacked," she explained.  _Now or never,_ she thought fearfully. "My… abilities… apparently were lacking."

Zahara stared at their mother. "Mother, what's wrong with her?"

Aurora laughed in spite of herself and the situation. "In all my years, I only lost my powers once," she said. Yami glanced up at her as he took Adais' hand to stand.

"When was that?"  Adais asked.

"Just before I had you three."

Zahara barely had time to let her mother's words process into her head before Zorc commanded the attention of everyone once again.

"Meddling fools, you should have stayed in your own world!" A fireball was thrown at them. They dodged it, but knew they had to finish this battle before any more damage could be done.

Yugi's duel disk appeared on his arm and he summoned the Dark Magician.

Yami's eyes grew large. "Mahaado!"

"Well, I did make a vow to protect the Pharaoh at all times," the Magician told him. "Thank you to you from the strange world for finding a way to give me back my life."

"Yugi's not going in dat fight alone," Joey said, summoning his Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

Tristan and Téa both summoned monsters of their own, Super Roboyarou and Fire Sorcerer. Dark Magician Girl joined them as Mana used her magic from the balcony to summon her. Together, they all circled around the Pharaoh.

"I knew you would return," Yami told them. "Thank you."

"Even more," Yugi said as he pulled the tablet out from under his jacket and offered it up. "I've come to give you what you need to win… Grandpa."

Yami stilled and stared at his grandson a moment before looking at Adais who just grinned sheepishly.

"He had to figure it out eventual," Adais told him with a slight grin.

Yami took the tablet from Yugi and shook his head with a smile. He took a breath and looked down at it. "Is this…?"

Yugi nodded with a bright smile. "Aunt Sanura said it was."

Yami looked over at his daughter, standing beside Seto and Mokuba. They watched him and Sanura gave her father a slight nod.

"I couldn't read it," Yugi told him apologetically. "But, I knew you could."

"I'll send you all to the Shadows one at a time," Zorc promised as he began his attack. Yugi and his friends all doubled over in pain as their monsters were destroyed. "Your creatures can't even begin to compare to me. Nothing can save you now. Surrender to the Darkness!"

"We aren't giving up," Yugi promised, standing strong beside Yami. "We have the key to his lock."

"It's too late!" Zorc sent another fireball toward them He cursed when the fire was deflected and he spun to see a Ring of Defense appear. "Who-"

Seto stood before him, poised to make another attack. Furious, Zorc sent a wall of fire at him that burnt through the Ring of Defense and threw Seto back. He slid back and stopped near Sanura's feet. She stooped to help him back up as smoke kept them shielded from view. She coughed as the smoke filled her lungs and gasped for breath. Seto turned and pulled her against him, his chest blocking the smoke from her until the coughing fit subsided.

"It's over," Zorc said with a laugh.

"I don't think so," Aurora returned with a sly grin.

"What?"

The smoke began to clear and Yami stood tall in front of them all, the tablet no longer in his hand. His eyes were fierce and cold. One fist clenched at his chest and the other had been swept out to the side as if trying to keep everyone behind him. A bright light shone all around him.

"Grandpa?" Yugi asked. "Do you know it?"

"Yes," Yami answered.

The light around him shone even brighter and Aurora gasped as it felt like a barrier had been lifted from her. They watched as Zorc began to recoil from the light.

"That's it," Aurora breathed. "You have what you need. You have the power to defeat the Dark One!"

"How?" Yami asked her.

"Justice is with the gods, my love. Call them forth now as you are one with them."

Yami nodded to her and called forth the three gods to revive. One by one, they returned.

"Your Gods are Powerless against me. You have already tried this and failed."

"But there is yet one thing I didn't do last time," Yami told him. "I will rule the three Gods under the true name of the Pharaoh!" The three Gods merged together to form Horuakuti, the Creator of Light. "I am Atem, King of Egypt, and I command the Darkness to be gone!"

The creator opened her eyes and beams of light flashed to destroy all of Bakura's riders, shadows, and engulfed Zorc. The Dark One reached out to grasp Atem in his fist, but the light took Zorc and dragged him away before bursting through him and destroying him. Horuakuti loomed over Egypt, bright enough to become a second sun.

Tristan looked around. "Is that it? Is that bastard really gone?"

Joey and Téa cheered along with the rest of the people of Egypt. Atem drew in a deep breath and looked around at everyone around him. Saphira stirred and slowly sat up, placing a hand on her head.

"The sun…"

"Is bright, I know," she said, looking down at Set who had opened his eyes and was staring up at her, squinting in the light.

"The Darkness?"

"Is apparently gone," she told him with a smile. "Can you hear them? The cheers of the people?"

"Yes," he said, sitting up and looking around. "It sounds good."

Yugi grinned. He looked around at all his friends and his gaze stopped on Atem who had stepped in front of Adais. Running up, he wrapped his arms around both. "I didn't think I could ever really hug my dad and my grandpa at the same time. At least not on Dad's side of the family anyway."

Adais chuckled. "It was a shock to your grandfather, too, believe me. I still find it odd he took so long to figure it out with the ties he had to you. I mean, come on," he teased, motioning with his hand to their hair. "How many people in this world have awesome hair like this?"

Zahara laughed, to spite herself. "Adais, you're incorrigible."

"But you love me," he teased, batting his eyes at her.

"Only because I have to," she countered with a wide grin, the tip of her tongue sticking out from between her teeth.

"To think I missed all this," Atem said, laughing softly.

"Wow, Pharaoh Atem," Téa said as she approached him. "It's going to be so strange not calling you Yugi or Yami anymore."

"It is good to know my name finally," Atem admitted. "And it's all thanks to you, Yugi."

Yugi shook his head. "Actually, no."

"What do you mean?"

"I wasn't the one who found it," Yugi explained. "I was just the one who gave it to you." He nodded his head toward Seto and Sanura. "Aunt Sanura actually found it."

Sanura coughed softly and bowed her head to hide red cheeks.  It was odd for her to hear her nephew acknowledge her as such.  But it was something she liked to hear.  "All of this is going to take some getting used to," she said with a smile.

"What  _is_  next for you now that you've finally destroyed the big bad?" Téa asked. "Wait for the next bad guy?"

"Unfortunately, no."

All eyes turned as the Creator of Life took form before them again. Aurora had purposely kept herself to the back of the group, watching everything. She knew the answer. She just did not want to admit it to herself. But now came the part she dreaded the most.

"You have defeated the embodiment of evil from which all darkness was born."

"So… I'm done?" Atem asked cautiously.

"Three thousand years ago, you chose to seal yourself with Zorc in order to keep him locked away. But when he revived, you chose to protect your friends and companions. That is the only power that can defeat Zorc. A Single person's power is not enough. But, you proved that if everyone joins their power together, even the impossible becomes possible. This was the lesson that this world was meant to learn. A lesson you were meant to teach. Now there is one thing left for you to do."

"What is that?" Atem asked.

"It… It's time to say goodbye… Atem…"

Eyes turned to the woman whose broken voice had spoken. She stood proud and tall. The wind had captured her hair in one of those movie-like moments, flowing behind her like a superhero. Except her eyes gave away the emotion she refused to let roll down her cheeks.

"Aurora?" Atem's voice became soft. Seeing his wife in her barely controlled state shattered him inside. They had just come back together. There was so much he wanted to do. So much he wanted to say. Now that he remembered everything, he did not want to let go again. "But…" He spun back to the Creator. "Horuakuti, it can't be true…"

The Creator bowed her head. "I'm afraid she is correct. Your time in this realm is done. You have completed your task. Another assumed your place in history after this. It is time to join the Pharaohs before you and finally be at rest."

"But how can I rest when…" Atem's voice was lost as he turned back, looking at the sudden saddened faces of his children and his friends and… his wife. "Gods, this can't be…" He quickly stepped to Aurora's side, facing her and taking her hands in his. The grief in his eyes met hers. "Tell me this isn't the truth… Aurora…" He pleaded with her.

Aurora swallowed hard and shook her head forcefully, trying to shake the tears away. "You know I could never lie to you, Atem. I cannot start now just because I wish to." She swallowed again. "Now… You must prepare… _we_ must prepare… The door isn't in your memories, love. We must go back."

"But…"  _I don't want to go…_  Atem said to her silently.

Atem jumped when a hand fell on his shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder at Set who stared down at him. "Set…"

"You are an Honourable Pharaoh, cousin. But it is time. You've done what you were required to do, and you surpassed all expectations. Now you must make that last journey. So that we may honor you properly."

Atem looked around at his crowd of friends and family again. His eyes stop on Yugi. "Yugi…"

"It's okay," Yugi tried to comfort him. "It feels a little strange seeing you, being able to touch you, and talk to you in a physical form." He took a breath. "It's a little lonely there in my head, but it's okay. I got to meet you. Know you." He smiled. "I'm glad for that."

"I understand, Yugi." He looked at everyone again. "You all grew to be so important to me. It's because of all of you standing with me that I was able to fulfill my destiny. You are all heroes to me."

"We're a team, Atem," Téa told him. "We all just did what we had to do."

"Are we about done here so we can go home?" Seto interjected.

"I still can't even believe you're here," Tristan told him. "Have you decided that you were wrong about magic and it actually exists?"

"Kinda hard to deny dis one," Joey said wryly. "How can he possibly explain two Yugis standin' here? Or da fact dat his personal secretary is the daughter of a three-thousand-year-old Pharaoh?"

Sanura stilled at Joey's words and she swallowed hard. She felt Seto's eyes burning down on her. She had dreaded the moment that piece of information would come back up again. She knew how he felt about magic. She knew she could not hide her heritage forever. But the longer the silence carried over, the more her heart sunk.

Seto finally sighed. "Maybe there is  _some_  kind of truth to all this nonsense," he finally conceded. He was still staring down at her when she blinked and looked up at him curiously. He nodded to her and then turned his head to look over at Set and Saphira.

Set stared hard at Seto, as if trying to place him. Saphira allowed a soft smile to curve her lips as she allowed Set to place a hand around her and help keep her on her feet. 

"Magic is not all bad," Set informed Seto calmly. "Some good can come from it if the heart desires it." He nodded at Seto, Mokuba, and Sanura. "It can even create or build families and bonds no one would ever expect; when we least expect."  He turned his gaze down at Saphira and she blinked when she looked up at him.  "There is a little magic in everything, especially in the science of everything.  It is merely what we choose to do with that magic and knowledge that tells us the direction that magic will take."

Sanura felt her lips curve slightly. Her heart jumped when she felt Seto place a hand on her shoulder and give it a slight squeeze.  She looked down when she felt Mokuba slide a hand into hers. He beamed up at her.

"Families born of magic, eh?" Mokuba said in a teasing tone. He laughed. "Considering I'm about to be an Uncle, I have to agree with that one."

Sanura's eyes snapped open and her heart stopped. She felt Seto's hand grip her shoulder tightly and he stared down at his brother.

"You're  _what_?"

Mokuba chuckled again. "Was I the only one who heard Sanura's mother say the last time she lost her power was just before she had Sanura and her sister and brother?"

Atem started to laugh quietly, stopping and gasping when Sanura suddenly went pale and she began to drop. "Sanura!"

Seto reacted quickly and caught her before she hit the ground, shifted to lift her. He stared down at her before looking up at Atem. "I think she's just fainted."

"Not that I blame her," Zahara said lightly with a smile. "Congrats. I see Mokuba is actually excited about the idea."

"You bet," he said. "I'm gonna be the best, uncle, _ever_!"

Seto just blinked and looked at the woman in her arms. "Oh, boy…"

"You know, Kaiba's being awfully calm about this whole thing," Téa commented.

"It's called shock," Zahara told her with a grin. "It hasn't sunk in yet."

The chatter quieted as Atem and Set faced each other and turned to enter the palace. Aurora and Saphira followed them as they made their way to the balcony. They all watched as the Egyptian people came out of hiding and had begun to pick up the rubble and repair the damage.

"I am glad that it's over; that the darkness is gone," Atem told Set. "The cost was just higher than I would have liked… We lost so many of our friends." He sighed. "It won't be easy, but the kingdom will return to its former glory again." He looked up at his cousin. "And you, Set, will be the one who sees to it that it does."

Set's eyes widened and he stared down at his cousin. "What?"

"You heard the creator," Atem told him. "And you were right.  I will have to leave this world. I have no memory after this because I was not here for this to happen. I cannot be the one who stays to rebuild our country. I am asking if you will be the one to take over the kingship and become the new Pharaoh?"

Set opened his mouth and closed it again. "But… After everything we've been through, this kingdom needs a strong leader to move them on ahead."

"I can't think of anyone better to lead this nation than you," Atem told him earnestly. He brought a hand up to see it becoming transparent. "My time here is almost done. Soon, I will join the Pharaohs who came before me. You will be the one to rebuild Egypt. Just trust the light in your soul to guide you."

"The light in my soul…" Set blinked as Atem placed the Millennium Puzzle in his hands.

"Your proof that it is your right to the throne. Please, just preserve my father's dream and maintain peace."

"Atem…" Set looked at him and nodded. "I will."

"Thank you…" Atem turned and looked at Aurora. "It's time to return for the final leg of this journey.

She did not trust her voice as she nodded and followed him. Together, they rejoined the rest of the group back to the ground. Without a word, they all took on a golden glow and rose into the air. The portal to their bodies in the cavern was open and they all flew through the air toward it.

* * *

 

 


	17. I Love You, Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The chapter everyone has been waiting for... Kinda. Just so we are all aware, I have often warned in the past chapters that I actually detest writing out duels. So if you are expecting the big ceremonial duel like in the show, remember this is an AU. There is no duel. A small ritual, yes, but no duel. I apologize to anyone who may have been expecting to see it and are now disappointed. But there is an ending still in the end.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

The lights faded, one by one, as each member of the group slowly opened their eyes and began to sit up. In a room just offset from the Millennium Tablet, Sanura and Mokuba sat up and helped each other to stand so they could find the others. Mokuba rounded the corner and found his brother, calling out to him as he ran to him and hugged him tightly again. Sanura stepped out of the shadows and looked around.

"We're back," Seto said, releasing Mokuba and looking around. He stopped when his gaze fell on Sanura. They stared at each other wordlessly.

"It must be over," Téa said as she dusted off her legs. "The tablet sent us all back here to the present."

"I hope so," Yugi said nervously.

Téa tilted her head at him. "Are you worried about Atem?"

"Did he get stuck in the past?" Joey asked.

Yugi looked down at the Puzzle. He looked up at his father before looking back down again. "Pharaoh? Are you still there?"

There was a brilliant flash of golden light and Atem stood present within Yugi's body. "I am right where I belong," Atem answered, an odd, almost resentful, note in his tone.

"You did it," Téa said cheerfully.

He shook his head. "We all did it. If you hadn't come with me on this journey, I might never have been able to win that Dark Game."

They all began to talk over the events that had brought them to Egypt and brought them together. So many memories, and with that brief moment of relief, they only wanted to focus on the things that had made their bond so close. Aurora kept herself in the shadows of the cavern, watching silently. She could see the sadness in Atem's eyes.

"I'm just glad the Pharaoh came back safely," Joey said, interrupting their thoughts.

"Yeah, now just think of what the future has to offer us," Téa said hopefully.

Sanura stepped closer to Seto as he placed his hand in his pocket, withdrawing it to show the Millennium Eye. She stared at it a moment and then looked up at him.

"It really wasn't a dream?" he asked, more to himself than to anyone. He looked up at her. "It was real?"

She nodded slightly, almost afraid to move. "Y-yes, it was real."

"All of it?" He watched her, seeing her swallow hard.

"Yes, Seto. All of it."

"You are really that Pharaoh's daughter? You are really three thousand years old?"

She coughed and felt her face turn red. "Um… slightly older than that, but yes, thereabout."

"And you never told me?"

"Would you have believed me?"

Seto stared at her for another short period of time. "I suppose you are right."

"And now?" She held her breath, waiting for his response.

He frowned thoughtfully a moment. "No more hiding truths?"

She shook her head. "No more, I promise."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "Promise?"

She nodded. "Yes, I promise."

There was an odd look in those cerulean blue eyes of his as he continued to stare down at her. He stepped closer to her and gently urged her head up with the slight pressure of his fingertips to her chin. "Are you…?"

Her eyes widened. "I-I don't know. Honest. Mother says it's a high probability, but I have to speak with Uncle Draxon as soon as I have a moment."

"Why this Draxon? Can't a doctor from the facility tell you?"

"Probably could, yes… but, you see, because I am … not exactly like everyone else in this world, Uncle Draxon is the only doctor trained for people like… me… A-and… maybe, even, you?"

Seto shook his head. "That still remains to be seen. But we aren't talking about me. When can you see him?"

"When this is done…" Her voice choked off. "When… I've said… goodbye..." Her eyes filled with tears and she bowed her head. Seto looked over his shoulder at Atem, still talking to his friends.

"I remember. He still has one thing left to do."

Sanura nodded. She no longer trusted her voice. She could no longer trust her face not to betray the mixture of emotions she was feeling and she kept her head bowed.

Seto looked from her to the Millennium Eye again and he turned to face Atem.  He managed to keep himself as a barrier between Atem and Sanura so her slight emotional break would remain hidden.

"Pharaoh!"

Atem looked up. "Yes, Kaiba?"

"You are going to need this." Seto tossed the Millennium Eye over to him.

He looked down at the Eye. "But, how-"

"It's you!" Joey's voice cut through all talk as he looked toward the entrance to see a worn-out Ryou propped against a wall with his arm.

Ryou blinked. "Where are we?"

Zahara's heart froze. The sound of that innocent voice. She looked up to see him and instinctively pulled back from sight. She was not sure she was ready to see Ryou yet. Her head had still not recovered from her trip back in time. Her heart had still not recovered from whatever magic the Thief set upon her. Even if it wasn't magic, that was the story she was sticking with.  _Me with the Thief?_   Zahara shook her head.  _A likely match_ , she thought to herself.

"Wait a second," Joey said with a pause. "I think dat's da good Bakura."

Ryou put a hand to his head. "I don't understand, the last thing I remember is hearing this strange voice, and then…" His face grew paler and he pitched forward into Joey's arms. "I'm so hungry…" he said just before losing consciousness.

"What's wrong?" Atem asked, coming up closer.

"He says he's hungry," Joey answered. "I'm hungry too, but ya don't see  _me_ passin' out."

Tristan stepped up to help him lift Ryou. "We probably could all use something to eat. After all, it's been three thousand years."

Joey reached up and took the Millennium Ring from around Ryou's neck and handed it to Atem. "He shouldn't be needing this anymore with Bakura gone in the past now."

Atem accepted the Ring and looked at Ryou. "Yes, now with Zork gone, the evil spirit should be gone as well. Ryou should finally be free."

 _Should be free,_ Zahara thought as she watched.  _But is he really? So many times that Ring was gone from him and that spirit returned. But is Father right? Is the evil spirit gone now, like Father will be gone here soon?_  That thought stung her and she hugged herself, letting her herself lean back against the cavern wall. She did not want to say goodbye. She was not ready to do what she had to do.

Joey and Tristan carried Ryou up the steps, and Téa followed to help. Atem remained behind. Looking around, he noticed two more Millennium Items lying on the floor—the Key and the Scale. He walked toward them, picking them up.

"At least now Shadi's Items can finally be laid to rest." He gave a silent prayer of thanks before turning to look up at the tablet. "According to this, Set went on to become a great pharaoh. He kept my father's dream alive by maintaining peace in Egypt. He married and had a son. They all did what was promised and everything found a way to be alright." He grew quiet for a moment before taking a breath. "Knowing this, I believe my spirit can finally enter its resting place."

Sanura, Zahara, Adais, and Aurora watched him as he came to this conclusion for himself. All were grateful the cavern was dark, save for torchlight. They were words they didn't want to hear. Aurora could almost hear her grandson asking Atem what he meant.

Atem lowered his gaze briefly before drawing in another breath and turning. "Let's go…" Everyone who had been left followed out behind him.

Everyone blinked in the sudden sunlight as they exited the cavern. Outside, Ishizu, Marik, and Odion were seen waiting for them. Ishizu approached with a small bow of her head.

"Were you able to recover your lost memories, my Pharaoh?" She asked him.

"Yes, Ishizu, I was."

Marik smiled warmly. "After three thousand years, our family's task is finally complete!"

"Yes, Marik, it is," Aurora told him softly, offering a slight smile of her own. "And the Seven Millennium Items are finally together at last."

Atem nodded. "Yes, and now I must complete my last task and seal them away forever, so that I may return to the spirit world."

Téa whimpered. "Wait, you're leaving us?"

Saphira stepped up to Aurora's side and took a discreet grip on her arm when she saw the pained expression in her friend's eyes.  _It's okay, Aurora. Calm down._

Aurora closed her eyes to breath, fighting with the emotions within herself.  She forced herself to remain calm when Saphira's words were heard. They all would be going through their own emotions with his leaving.  She just refused to let anyone see her go through her grieving. With Saphira beside her, she started to walk onward.

Atem watched his wife a moment as she started to walk away. He felt her pain. He felt she was trying to shield him from it, but there was no way for her to hide all of it. He admired her for appearing so brave. His heart ached, but he knew they both knew the truth. He reached out and took her hand before she could get out of reach from him. He gazed deep into her eyes as she looked back.

 _Don't go… Please, don't walk away…_ He pleaded silently with her. He watched her eyes widen slightly and she took a step closer to him.

She lowered her head.  _Forgive me, Atem. I don't mean to pull away. I am having a really hard time with this and while everyone is coming to terms with what is to come, I find myself caught up in my own struggle with my own ending to this._ She looked up at him with tears shining in her eyes.  _Please understand…_

He nodded but gripped her hand tighter.  _Just, please, stand with me just a bit longer… I begged you not to before, but I beg you to remain with me now…_  He watched her nod and step closer to him. He looked back to Téa. "To return and seal the Millennium Items is my final task," he told her. "And then… I must go."

Téa sniffled. "I guess I always knew it would come down to this. That one day, your destiny would be complete and you would have to leave us to be at rest. I hoped there would be a way for you to be here with us still, but… that just can't happen."

"I'm sorry, Téa, but you are right. As much as I actually want to remain here, it is no longer my place to be."

"You've waited all these years to come back. Now, you've found your memories and saved the world. It really is time for you to be at rest."

Marik and Ishizu nodded to each other. Ishizu looked at Adais and his sisters. Adais nodded to her. Ishizu looked back at Atem.

"If you wish, Marik and I can lead you to the final resting place of the Millennium Items," she offered.

"You mean the Millennium Stone?"

"Yes," Ishizu said. "There is an inscription above the stone that reads, 'To the Spirit World thou may proceed, but first thou must complete this deed. Return the Items from whence they came, and speak aloud the Pharaoh's name.'"

"The Pharaoh's name?" Téa asked.

"Atem," Joey answered.

Ishizu looked at them. "You're name is Atem?"

Atem nodded. "Yes."

"Are you ready for this final task?"

Atem looked back to his children and his wife and hesitated before he spoke. Finally, he drew a breath. "Yes," he answered before allowing Yugi to be present again.

"Alright," Ishizu said. "Now that all of the conditions have been met, I will be your guide to the door of the underworld."

* * *

Some time had passed before they all arrived at the docks of a local seaport. There had been some debate over whether or not the sanctuary could be reached by plane, but Ishizu explained that the only way to get to it was by boat.

"You see," Ishizu explained. "Long ago, boats were believed to be the only vessels able to transport spirits to the world beyond. The Ancient Egyptians believed that this spirit world existed in the west, where the sun sets. So, the Pharaoh's court ordered the sanctuary built on an island west of Egypt."

Everyone had actually been grateful for this as it meant the trip would take a while longer. This meant they had a little longer to be able to spend time with the Pharaoh before they all had to say goodbye.

Everyone climbed aboard the ship and selected rooms for the night. It was a fair distance to travel and they knew the day to come was going to be a long one. Taking time to prepare for what was going to be the hardest part of their lives was not something they were taking lightly.

Sanura watched everyone filter toward their rooms after dinner. She found Yugi standing at the railing of the boat in front of the door to his room. She tilted her head to the side and slowly approached him.

"Yugi?"

The young boy jumped and blinked, turning to look up at her. "Oh, hi, Miss Sanura. Um, Aunt Sanura."

She smiled. "It's okay, Yugi. It'll take a bit for all of us to get used to. Especially when the revelation is still so new. I just wished I could have told you."

"Why couldn't you?"

"At the time, I was shoulder deep in Kaiba Corp. Everything I did had to have Mr. Kaiba at the central focus. Especially when it was learned he and Mokuba had been in trouble. I had to gain his trust and where he viewed you as he did, trust me, that became a difficult thing."

"I heard that you actually fought with him during Battle City."

She gave a half smile and bowed her head. "It became very difficult for me to be around him when he continuously denied everything that I am. He denied my heritage and my family as if we were a fabrication. I lost my cool with him back then and even quit for a time. At least I thought I quit."

Yugi smiled. "Right back to work the next day?"

She laughed. "Not even a full day after." She drew a breath. "I am glad that I don't have to hide anything anymore though. That I can be your aunt and still have his trust."

"Maybe even more?" His eyes were bright but curious.

Sanura instinctively placed her hands together over her stomach. She swallowed hard and her tongue ran along her lips. "Maybe… I'm supposed to meet with Uncle Draxon later. He should be able to tell me."

"For what it's worth, I'm happy for you both if you are. I've seen you with Mokuba. I know that you will be a good mother."

She blushed. "Thank you, Yugi. I hope so one day."

There was a moment of silence. "Did you want to see him?"

Sanura hesitated. She wanted to say yes. A thousand ways she wanted to. But she had a fear within her. Still, she nodded. "I would… if it was okay to."

She felt the rush of power surround them and felt a hand on her shoulder. "I would never tell you no. Nor would I ever turn you away."

She looked up at her father. All of a sudden, her emotions crashed over her. All of her wishes and hopes. Dreams that she would never see fulfilled. "Father…" She leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

"Sanu…" He breathed as he returned her hug. "I am so glad that I have been able to get to know you. I am so proud of the woman you have become."

"Thank you, Father." The reality of what was to come was a sobering thought for them both. Sanura had words she wanted to say but felt bad for even thinking them, let alone wanting to speak them. She chose, instead, to keep them to herself. It was not fair no matter how she looked at it.

"If you find that you are expecting, I hope you treasure that gift. Give that child a little extra love from me, okay?"

"I promise, Father," Sanura told him, tears streaming down her face. "I wish you could be there."

"As do I."

"But there isn't a way, is there?"

"Unfortunately, no. I have considered everything. Every possibility. But there is no other way." Atem sighed softly. "I don't want to say goodbye to anyone. But the truth is, I can't stay."

"I know…" She lowered her gaze for a moment. "But you will always be with us, somehow," she said softly. "I know that you will." She gave him another hug and briefly kissed his cheek. "I love you, Father. I have to go meet with Uncle Draxon. But I wanted to just tell you that first. I love you."

Atem smiled and touched her cheek. "I love you, as well, Sanu."

* * *

 

Sanura watched as Draxon left her room before turning to look out the small window to watch the waves. She did not hear the knock at her door or the footsteps that moved across her floor. She startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she was caught up by barely masked concern in cerulean eyes.

"Are you alright?"

Sanura took a breath and nodded. "Yes, I am." She fidgeted with the pendant on her necklace. "And yes… I am…"

Seto took a moment to register her repeated comment. She watched him carefully as he became lost in his own world for a while. She feared so many things. But she was prepared for others.  Silently, she stepped over to her bed and sat on the edge.  She clasped her hands in front of her on her lap and looked down.

Seto remained standing a moment longer before he chose to sit on the edge of the bed beside her.  Without looking at her, Seto reached out and placed a hand over hers. She stilled under the gesture, not sure what was happening. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his profile.

"Seto?" she whispered.

He took a deep breath. "Sanura, I don't even know how to begin with this."

Sanura's heart stilled. She knew how conversations like this went. She sighed and bowed her head again, waiting for the words she knew were coming.

Seto continued to stare at the wall across the room. It was as if he was searching the wall for the words he needed, but just could not pull them from whatever part of his head they were buried in. "In my life, I have had to face a lot of things. Things that made sense, and things that didn't. I have created holograms of monsters to battle, and have come face to face with monsters that, by all rights, in the way I had been conditioned to believe, should never have existed. Anubis. Leviathan. God monsters, and some demonic shadow creature with a death wish. I have lived the life of the creator and of the doubter.  Since all of this, I have been forced to rethink everything I have ever believed. Because to continue to deny them, would be to deny someone who has become very important to me."

Sanura blinked. This did not sound like what she had been expecting to hear at all. She tilted her head at him, watching him closely for any sign of what he was actually saying, or doing.

Seto bowed his head as he considered his words yet again. "I never forgot what you said to me about your father after the Battle City Finals," he continued with a slight shrug. "I lost my father too young to know much about what a father is. I have heard stories of him being a good man. But I don't rightly remember a whole lot about him. My grandfather? Yeah… I didn't even know I had one until this experience in Egypt. My only other experience with a father-figure at all was with a tyrant. The idea of being a father terrifies me more than anything I have faced.

"In your time with my company, I am sure, as others have told you, that you have seen that I am married to my company. It's all I know. And Mokuba." He looked up at her. "I am still trying to grasp what it is that you and I have. I know what it feels like.  I know that it is a feeling I don't want to lose.  I also know that it's a test to us as I keep everything pretty well in-office. It doesn't make me a very good partner in anything. I am selfish and arrogant and I don't let anything or anyone get in my way. To be fair, this is probably the most open I have ever been with anyone, and that doesn't happen often. I can't promise I will be any good at this."

Sanura began to shake her head, opening her mouth to protest, only to be silenced when he placed two fingers on her lips. She frowned and tilted her head at him. None of this was making any sense to her.

"Sanura, I may not know what kind of parent I will be, but I will at least  _be_  a parent." He saw some of the fear that had been in her eyes begin to fade. "I won't walk away." He tried to offer a half smile. "Besides, Mokuba is really excited about the prospect of being an uncle. What kind of big brother would I be to take that joy away from him?"

Sanura smiled in spite of herself. She leaned forward and let her forehead rest against his chest. So many emotions crashed over her, some relief and some a sadness she couldn't name, some fear of the future, and some a type of excitement. They sat there a moment as his hand tightened over hers. She did not know what to say. She knew she should say something, but she could not come up with the words. Without warning, her eyes began to sting and tears fell down her face. Seto frowned and looked down when he felt her shoulders shaking.

"Sanura?" His soft question of her name made her cry harder. His arms slid around her, holding her tighter, trying to comfort her though not knowing what had brought on her tears. "Sanura, talk to me."

She sniffled and sat up, swiping at the offending tears. Where did she begin? How could she put into words something that was so jumbled in her head?

"Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head fiercely. " _No_ , no Seto, you didn't. You said nothing wrong. You said… a lot I didn't expect at the start of this, but you didn't say anything wrong." She drew in a shaky breath. "You said so many beautiful things. I was so afraid… I was afraid that you would turn your back on me and let me go knowing now who I am. I was afraid you would deny me knowing what I am about. I was afraid that learning of this gift would be too much and you would need time alone and away. Which, I honestly wouldn't have blamed you."

Sanura tried to collect her thoughts as a fresh stream of tears threatened her. "I thought being forced to face losing my father again was going to be difficult… The thought of losing you, too… I can take being a mother. Losing both of you terrifies me." She looked up at him. "I don't know that I can tell my father goodbye tomorrow. I don't know that I can be strong enough. I have stood strong by your side through so many difficult things. I have fought and battled even with you at your worst. I thought I could face anything. But… I was too little to really understand the first time my father was taken away from me. But I understand this time.   And I am saying goodbye. Not 'see you later' as if he was just going to the store, or on a vacation. I am saying  _goodbye_ … I will be watching him leave us for the Afterlife. I feel like I didn't have a father at all, he was finally given back to me only to be torn away from me again and it's  _killing_  me…"

Her voice gave out on her and she tried to regain her composure. Seto watched her a moment before pulling her close to him again. His fingers ran through her long hair and he just allowed her to cry. She was right. She stood strong for him through some of his worst moments. The least he could do was stand strong for her during this.

"Sanura, look at me." He patiently waited until she lifted her tear-stained face up at him. "You are not alone. You have been my one trusted person since you arrived at my company. You talked me through some of my hardest times. Your father and I may not have had the healthiest of relationships since his appearance, but I have a great deal of respect for him. And for you. You will not go through any of this alone."

She stared deeply into his eyes, falling into that cerulean sea and trusting it to keep her safe. She felt one of his hands grip hers tightly while the other tilted her head back so his lips could meet hers. It was tender, chaste. But it was enough to make her mind have a complete reset. As if his kiss flipped some switch and the tears ceased. He wrapped an arm around her, carefully easing her back on the bed. He pulled back for a moment and she opened her eyes to gaze up at him.

There it was. A small smile that he only ever allowed her to see. The smile that told her everything she needed to know ever since that first night in the office. The world saw him as cold, but this side of him was hers. She wrapped her arms around him, bringing him back down to her so she could taste his lips again.

* * *

Zahara had tried to get some sleep as the boat made it's journey.  Tossing and turning in her bed, she moaned and whimpered.  It was as if she was lost within the battle all over again, watching everyone she cared about being hurt or killed.  She stilled when her mind suddenly became blank.  Zahara stood in the dark corridors of her own mind and looked around.  There had been so much death and destruction and sadness all around her, but the sudden emptiness struck her harder than anything she had seen.  She sighed and bowed her head.  She was dreaming.  She was dreaming of blackness.  She felt more alone than she ever felt before in her life. 

"Ra... this pain, I wish it would end,"  Zahara whispered her prayer as tears began to fall.  "I don't want it anymore.  Please take it from my heart.  Take my heart away while you are at it.  My heart is a fool.  I was a fool.  I don't want to feel anything anymore..."

"Now, Precious, you can't possibly mean that."

Zahara froze.  Her throat closed in on her.  _That voice... It can't be..._   She looked around her but found nothing and no one but the darkness.  "Who's there?"  She cursed her voice for being so shaky.  "Leave me alone.  I'm better off alone."

"Loneliness begets trouble, Princess.  You taught me that."

Zahara felt her resolve faltering.  "Why am I hearing you?  You are dead... How can I be hearing you?"  Her face crumpled and her tears began to fall.  "Gods why do you torture me...?"

"That may be my fault." 

There was a ripple in the darkness and Bakura stood in front of her.  His white hair still wild about his head.  His skin was tanned, but he was dressed in more modern clothing.  His eyes... Those brown eyes she once found herself lost in... They did not hold the evil they used to.  He was changed.  Zahara began to wonder if this was somehow another trick.

"No tricks, I promise you."

"How are you here?  I watched you fall..."

"I know.  And I did.  But I was granted one request."

"One request?"

"Yes... I had to see you one last time."

"Oh gods," Zahara broke and covered her face with her hands.  "I can't do this.  I can't do this..."

"Za'ra, stop..."  Bakura chanced stepping closer and he held her in his arms.  There was no menacing threat this time.  He just held her as she cried.  "Shh, please stop," he begged her with a whisper.  "Contrary to what I led you to believe, I hate seeing you cry."

"Too bad," she snapped softly.  "It's all I have left.  I have no more fight inside me at all.  I hurt, 'Kura.  I've been shredded, heart and soul.  I am broken.  I have nothing left.  I have nothing left," she repeated in a voice that was no longer even a whisper.  "I lost you.  I don't even know if I ever really _had_ you. And tomorrow I have to say goodbye to my father,  _again._ I have nothing left but pain.  I don't want the pain.  Make it go away.  'Kura please make the pain go away," she pleaded tearfully as she lost the strength to stand and she slowly fell to her knees.

Bakura knelt with her, continuing to hold her.  The pain she emitted within her aura surrounded him and it broke him.  He clung to her.  He was at fault for this feeling.  He wished beyond all reason or god that he could honor her request. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do.  It killed him to admit that even to himself.

"I can't do this anymore.  I have my family, but it's not the same," she whispered.

"Za'ra."  Bakura waited for her to respond.  When she did not move, he tucked two fingers under her chin and gently forced her to look up at him.  "Zahara, Princess, Precious... I am begging you to stop.  This isn't you.  This isn't the same woman who managed to twist this thief.  You see, you accused me of stealing your heart.  But you're no better than me.  I didn't even know I had a heart to steal and sure enough, you found it and took off with it."

"Fat lot of good that did me," she said bitterly.

"Yeah, I know.  I'm an asshole.  But you were right.  About everything.  I was a pawn and I couldn't stop anything.  I couldn't even make things right to show you what you deserved to see."

Zahara frowned up at him.  "What I deserved to see?"

"I didn't lie to you when I told you I heard everything you said." 

"It didn't change anything.  What I felt meant nothing.  It didn't change a damn thing."

"Because it couldn't.  I didn't lie to you either when I said it came too late.  But it was too late before you were even born.  The Darkness had its claws in me long before you came into the picture.  The Darkness never counted on you being just light enough that I could be saved."

Zahara arched an eyebrow at him.  "I couldn't save you.  I tried, but I couldn't save you."

"Zahara, you did more than anyone had ever tried before.  You looked passed everything I portrayed.  You found a crack in my wall without even realizing it and you reached me in a way the Darkness never thought I could be reached.  I can't honestly tell you how many times I tried to stop what happened.  I can't tell you how hard I struggled to keep going about my mission when you were near.  Battle city was the worst."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"Because I was manhandled by another darkness?"

Bakura coughed.  "That didn't help."  He looked down at her and brushed her hair out of her face.  "You were my equal in strength and power.  You had no problem putting me in my place even knowing my anger would cause a problem.  You challenged me."

"I didn't want to be your pawn."

"The Darkness wanted you to be.  I just wanted you to be mine."

"The sad part of this whole thing?  In the Memory World, I didn't lie to you there either.  I _was_ yours.  I'd have given up everything for you."

"I know.  But what you don't know is that I tried to give everything up for you.  That was when the Darkness had me killed the first time.  It realized I was unable to be trusted the way I used to be.  I was fighting.  Resisting.  I wanted you, not the mission."  He stared down at her.  "I still want you."

"What's stopping you now?"

"I have no means of returning.  I have no body of my own and no means of holding my spirit so that I can return.  I was granted my one request before the Items were sealed for good."

Zahar scoffed sadly.  "Figures."

"What?"

"Everyone leaves.  Why love?  'Love is a fool', you said.  Everyone leaves eventually.  All that's left is pain."  Zahara sighed and curled her knees into her chest, wrapping her arms around them.  "I know you are leaving.  It's not like I would be allowed to go with you, would I?"

Bakura blinked in shock.  "What?"

"I want to give it all up.  I'm a little more than three centuries old and I have had enough.  I'm done hurting.  I'm done saying goodbye.  Take this pain away from me.  Make it so I can no longer feel."

"I can't do that."

"Why?"

"Because I need you to live."

"You need... what?"

"You heard me, Princess.  I need you to live.  You can't give up.  That's not the Princess I know."

"She's already dead.  I'm just a shell."

"Stop it."  Bakura grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her to turn and look at him.  "Now that's quite enough.  This is what that Darkness feeds on and I'll be damned if you get swallowed by the evil that cost me my life, and my chance, with the one person who ever gave a damn about me!"

Zahara blinked and stared at him in shocked silence. 

"Damnit, Zahara, your pain called me back because I can't stand to see you hurt.  I know what that hurt can do and I refuse to see you fall.  You are better than me.  I never should have toyed with you.  I opened Pandora's Box and I cost us everything.  I loved you, Princess.  I won't see you fall."  He suddenly hugged her tightly against him.  "I won't see you become what I was."  He was silent a moment before he spoke again.  "I cost myself everything.  Everything.  All because I gave in.  I was young.  A child.  I didn't know what I was doing.  I was alone and the Darkness took that away.  But in the end, it took away more than I wanted to lose.  I don't want to look through the Afterlife and find that you become so lost, too."

Zahara grew quiet as she listened to him.  When he was done, she sighed.  "If you had a body, you would return?"

"I pour my heart out to you and that is what you take from it?"

Zahara coughed softly.  "If I stay... Things change in my life."

"How so?"

"I can't be with Ryou."

Bakura stilled.  He had not given thought to his vessel.  "It would have been different if I was still there, eh?"

Zahara shook her head.  "No, not really.  It would not be fair to him."

"Why's that?"

"Because I love you."

Bakura quieted at her words.  The weight of what she was telling him sank in.  "You said you loved him."

"I thought I did.  But like I told you before.  I thought it was him.  I thought he was the one.  But it was you.  It was always you."

Bakura sighed.  "For what it's worth, you would have changed me forever.  I am grateful to you for not leaving me alone." 

Zahara stood and stepped away from him with her head bowed.  "I never would have left you."

"I know."

There was a small light to be seen at the far end of the darkness.  Zahara stared up at it, not moving when she felt Bakura come up and stand behind her.  "But you have to leave now, don't you?"

His head pressed against hers.  "I don't have much of a choice.  The request wasn't meant to be permanent.  I'm lucky I was granted this visit at all."

She sighed and turned to look up at him.  She reached up and touched the side of his face.  "I won't forget you."

"Nor I you.  You will be my brightest memory."

They stared at each other as the light drew nearer.  He leaned in and kissed her deeply.  "Just promise me you will live.  Don't give in to the Darkness."

"Fine."

"Say it."

"Huh?"

"You heard me.  Say it."

Zahara drew a breath.  "Fine.  I promise I will live.  But that is all I will promise."

"I wouldn't ask for anything more."  Bakura pulled her into another tight embrace.  "Thank you, Princess.  For everything."  He pulled back only to kiss her one last time before the light blinded the vision. 

_I love you, Zahara.  Goodbye._

* * *

Zahara sat up in her bed with a cry.  Looking around, she realized she was alone in her cabin again.  She picked up her pillow and screamed into it.  Even throwing the pillow against the wall did nothing to ease her heart.  She stood and left her room.  She made her way toward the front of the ship and stood at the railing, letting the wind blow her hair back out of her face.  She closed her eyes and breathed in the salty air. Her mind was jumbled with so many emotions. She struggled with seeing Ryou and being reminded of the evil spirit. She struggled with her dream and the emotions that it evoked within her. She had never wanted to admit that a part of her had fallen for the dark spirit of the Ring.  But in the end, there was no more denying.  There had been something there, she knew it. But she had to forget it. He was gone. She could not get him back.

And then her father. His whole existence since Yugi put the puzzle together had been shrouded in secrets and shadows. She wanted to tell him so much. She felt like she needed to tell him more. She wanted to have more time with him. But when she heard him admit his decision to finally move onward to the Afterlife, her heart shredded into a thousand little pieces she did not feel could even be stitched together by the best doctor in the world. She wanted her father. She needed him. But she could never have him. He was leaving them again. His choice. How could he not want to stay with them? Surely, they could find a way. She choked when she heard a familiar voice.

"I have this strange feeling that you have been avoiding me," Ryou said beside her. She blinked and snapped her head to the side to find him staring out into the water. "I don't blame you, honestly. I don't know what happened, but I know that  _he_  had something to do with it." He was quiet a moment. "Have I lost you, Zahara?"

Zahara bowed her head. She was not ready for that question. But he deserved an answer. She ran her tongue over her lips and drew in a shaky breath. "Don't think like that, Ryou."

"How am I supposed to think? He's cost me everyone in my life, all of my life. And now you hide in the shadows, trying not to be seen. You haven't said one word to me since I met up with you all. And not even at dinner would you even look at me."

Zahara felt her sanity about ready to crack. "Forgive me if I am a bit distant, Ryou." Her voice was a bit colder than she had intended for it to be, but she could not help herself. "I was ensnared by whatever it was that thief did. I was forced to watch my parents killed time and time again in a time they had never been killed before. I watched friends dying left and right, and now that the worst for them is over, the worst for me is about to begin."

She turned on Ryou, tears streaming down her face. "I am distant because I am about to lose the one person I begged the gods to allow me time with after finally being able to get to know him again. I am about to say goodbye to a man I never really had the opportunity to acknowledge freely as everything had to be done secretly. All this time I knew he was my father, but I couldn't tell him. Now instead of being able to experience the protective father when I go on dates, or have moments of doubt, or get married or have children of my own -all of these things I do eventually want to have and have him be a part of- I am essentially burying him  _again!_ And he is  _choosing_  this! He is choosing to leave us.

"No, I am  _not_  okay. I don't know that I will ever be okay. Have you lost me? No, but  _I_ have lost me. I don't know what I am supposed to do. I don't know how I am supposed to let go and be  _okay_. How does one just  _be_  okay? I don't want him to go. I want, with every part of me, to beg him to stay. But I can't. And I can't because it wouldn't be fair to Yugi. My father doesn't have a body of his own anymore. He would have to share my nephew's body the rest of Yugi's life. What kind of life is that for Yugi? So I understand that my father feels he doesn't have a choice, but… still… I want to be selfish for once and keep my father." She bowed her head. "But I can't. I don't want to say goodbye, but I have to. So am I distant and pulling away? Yes, I am. Is it because of you, no, not exactly. And not even exactly for reasons you might think. I just don't know how to deal with what I am feeling. I don't know how to face this. I just don't _know_ …"  It was the greatest truth and yet her greatest lie at the same time.  But it was all that she could offer him.

Ryou stared at her as she broke down, his eyes wide. "Oh God, Zahara, I am so sorry," he said softly. "I'm an idiot. I didn't even think…" He shut his mouth and stepped forward, holding her gently as she cried. "I'm so sorry…" There was silence between them for a moment before he kissed the top of her head. "Why don't you see him now? He and Yugi are just in their stateroom until the ship docks."

"I don't know," she whimpered. "Part of me wants to and the other part is too afraid to."

"Maybe this is something that you need to do? Have some time with him now while you can instead of keeping a wall up. I'm sure there are feelings he is trying to deal with as well. You may be able to help each other."

Zahara bowed her head. Part of her knew Ryou was right, but the other part of her was still afraid. Finally, she looked up at him and nodded. "You're right. I will." She paused. "He and Yugi are in the room alone? Mother isn't there?"

He shook his head. "No… at least not yet. She has put a distance between herself and everyone like you have."

She shook her head sadly.  _Mother… what are you doing…?_

* * *

Zahara took her leave of Ryou and chose to follow his advice, making her way to Yugi's stateroom. She stopped when she saw Téa at his door. The teen looked as though her heart had been shredded but she was attempting to keep her head high.

"I'm okay," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow." She waited until the door was shut before she turned and leaned against the wall. Tears fell from her eyes briefly before she wiped them away and started to walk away. She noticed Zahara and gave her a curt nod as she kept walking.

"I supposed it's better than completely being ignored," Zahara whispered with a sigh as she stopped in front of Yugi's room.  _W_ _hat if he doesn't answer?_  She wondered suddenly.  _What if that was why Téa was upset? Maybe he isn't seeing anyone…_ She gasped when the door opened and Yugi stood facing her.

"Oh, hi, Aunt Zahara. Did you want to come in?"

She blinked at him then shook her head with a smile. "I've never been called an aunt before," she told him with a smile. "I like it."

Yugi's smile beamed brighter and he stepped out of the way to allow her in. "Everything okay?"

"I guess," she told him. "Is Téa okay?"

Yugi's smile faded slightly. "I don't think so, though she tells me she is. I think she wanted to see Atem again, but he hasn't wanted to leave the Puzzle since dinner. He said he was sorry, he just didn't want to."

"Oh," Zahara said, her heart falling.

Yugi must have sensed the disappointment and he reached out to her. "I think he would make an exception in your case though. You're different." There was a flash of golden light and Atem stood in Yugi's place. His eyes opened and he stared at Zahara for a moment before suddenly stepping forward and holding her tight.

"Thank you," he whispered, cradling her.

Zahara's lip quivered and her eyes stung before she gripped him tightly. "Father…" Her voice failed her and all she could do was stand there crying in his arms. "Father…"

"I know, Zahara… Believe me, I feel it, too." Atem pulled back and brushed her hair out of her face. "Ra… you look so much like your mother. So beautiful. I hate that I have had to miss your growing up."

"I hate that you can't stay to be there for me the rest of my time and events to come," she admitted between sniffles. "I know you have to go. I know you can't stay. But… I just…" she sighed. "I am having a hard time with tomorrow. I don't know that I can say goodbye." She bowed her head and he held her again.

"I don't honestly want to go either. Please know this."

"But?"

"I have no real place in this world. Yugi has earned his place. He has proven himself. I have completed my task. I have no body of my own. If I was to stay I would have to remain in my grandson's body."

"And that's not fair to him, I know… I oddly enough, I just said the same thing a little while ago when I was talking to Ryou."

"How are things with you and Ryou?"

She shook her head. "I don't honestly know. I can't make him any promises at this point. I don't know what will happen to me after…"

"I see. You don't plan to return to Domino?"

She shrugged. "I might, for Yugi's sake at least. I can finally have a connection with my nephew. If he allows it, I mean."

Atem smiled. "I don't think that is a concern."

There was a moment of silence before Zahara looked up at him again. "Why didn't you want to see Téa? If you don't mind me asking."

He shook his head slightly. "I know what she wants. I cannot give it to her. Frankly, it's hard enough saying goodbye to everyone. Trying to ease her feelings when she apparently still had such high hopes… I just don't have the energy to deal with that right now." He sighed. "I'm still hoping to see your mother before the morning."

"I don't know, Father. I haven't even seen her much since we boarded. I thought she would at least come to dinner, but…"

"I know…" He watched her try to stifle a yawn. "You really should retire to your room to rest."

"Is that a fatherly command?" She teased lightly with a smile.

"If that will get you to listen to me, then yes." He hugged her tightly one more time before walking with her to the door. She stepped into the hall and turned to look back at him. "Zahara, this may be a sort of cliche from the movies, but you know that I am always going to be with you, even after this, right?"

She placed a hand over her heart. "So long as I hold your memory alive here, you will always be there," she said softly, blinking back a fresh set of tears.

He nodded. "Exactly. Don't ever forget. I love you, Zahara."

She offered him a smile. "I love you, too, Father."

* * *

The night seemed to drag and many found themselves unable to sleep. Sanura and Seto left her room to stand at the bow of the ship, staring out over the water. The stars from the night sky still glimmering over the gentle waves. She smiled in the darkness when his hand rested atop of hers. She looked up to see him staring down at her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she prompted.

"Something that struck me a little while ago."

She arched an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"You do realize… that with the events of the Shadow Game we have learned that we are cousins, right?"

"Third I do believe… I could be wrong. Does this concern you?"

"Some might think it wrong."

She grinned. "Depends on where you are. Our families are still Egyptian royalty. Our culture was to create unions within the family to keep the royal bloodline true. Look at Cleopatra who married her brother. "

He grinned slyly. "Are you suggesting we get married?"

Her eyes widened. "N-no no, no I wasn't saying that at all. I am just saying that unions stayed within the family. Not exactly all were marriages, just... partnerships, yeah, partnerships. Besides, it's not like I am going to go run and tell everyone about that bit of history."

Seto looked down at her with an amused grin. "The way you can make anything sound like a corporate matter astounds me at times."

Sanura smiled sheepishly. "It's what makes me a good personal assistant?"

Seto chuckled and leaned in to kiss her lips. "Well, not the only thing that made you a good personal assistant," he corrected with a wink. He laughed when he saw her cheeks tint red.

"I just wanted to thank everyone for coming out here with us."

Seto and Sanura turned to see Yugi and his friends a short distance away. Yugi was trying to be cheery about the situation, but the looks on many faces told Sanura that his friends were less than cheerful. They watched silently as a few words were shared between Yugi and Téa. Then Joey turned to Seto.

"Why exactly are you still hanging around here anyway?"

"We have our reasons," Mokuba answered as he came up. He slid himself between Seto and Sanura and looked up at each with a smile. Then he looked back at Joey. "Even if you don't believe that my brother and I have reasons, I think it's clear at least Sanura would."

Joey huffed and turned away.

Yugi looked up. "Why  _did_  you stay with us?" he asked Seto.

"He might not admit it, but he is here for the same reason as the rest of us." Everyone turned to see Adais as he approached them. "To witness the Pharaoh's final Rite of Passage. As one whose fate is influenced by the gods, Kaiba should witness this event with his own eyes."

The sky began to lighten and the ship pulled into port. Sighs and deep breaths were taken throughout the group. Yugi stared at the gangway with a mixture of emotions flashing through his eyes.

"Let's go," he said, taking the steps everyone had dreaded all night.

Ishizu led everyone through the desert to a trap door. Adais helped her open the door to reveal a stairway leading down to the Shrine of the Millennium Stone. Silently, they walked down the stairway to an underground cavern. Téa stopped suddenly when she reached the floor. Joey nearly walked right into her.

"What's up, Téa?"

"Do we really have to rush this? This is our final chance with the Pharaoh before he leaves us for good. Why do we have to rush this?"

"What are you talking about, Téa?" Tristan asked her. "We will all miss him." He stopped talking when they saw Aurora walk by them, the hood of her cloak pulled up over her head to shield her face from view. Saphira and Natara kept a place beside her. "If you think you are hurting, can you imagine her? Or their kids?"

Téa merely stared after her. Yugi nodded and then bowed his head. Ishizu glanced at them and her heart went out to them.

"I understand how difficult this must be for you all," she said, sympathetically.

Yugi sighed. "We all know how you feel, Téa. We all feel similar in our own ways. But this is what is best for the Pharaoh. He doesn't belong in this world. Now he finally has a chance to go home. I feel bad about this, too. He's my grandfather. But Atem has decided. This was his choice. Not one he wanted to make, but one he felt he  _had_  to make."

Aurora hesitated at the opening to the Shrine. A heavy weight had fallen over her and she suddenly felt it hard to breathe. Her lips parted, trying to gasp for breath and she bowed her head, closing her eyes. She felt hands placed upon her, but she couldn't hear anything over the pounding of her heart.

 _I can't do this…_  Her thought was sudden and fierce enough to make her freeze in her spot.

"Aurora?" Saphira asked her gently. She and Natara each reached out to her as the rest of the group proceeded forward.

"I can't do this," she whispered. "I can't… I can't do this again..." She gasped for breath and her legs gave on her. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. "I can't do this again…"

Saphira and Natara looked at each other. They nodded and Saphira knelt down in front of her friend. "Aurora, you have to listen to me, now. I know you don't want to hear what I have to say, but you need to."

Aurora shook her head, "No, I just can't say goodbye. Why do the Gods punish me after all I have done since my arrival on this world? What have I done to anger them so much that I must be subjected to the pain of watching him being taken away, not just once, but twice?"

Natara cringed but said nothing. Saphira sighed. "I know this is hard. But listen to me, Aurora. Your husband is going through hell right now. He knows he has to do this and he is wondering the same things you are. Why? What has he done? Why can't he stay and watch his children and grandchildren? Why can't he enjoy more years with his wife?" She took a moment and glanced over her shoulder at Yugi who was looking around the cavern.

"He will be facing this with Yugi. But will you really allow him to face this without the woman who was his rock for so many years?" She looked back at Aurora. "I know you are hurting and I am sorry for that. You have held your pain in for centuries. But at least you can share it with him now. Stand beside him like you always have. Don't leave him when he needs you the most."

Aurora blinked and stared hard at her friend. She drew a breath and looked toward Yugi. Her lapis eyes turned back to Saphira and she nodded. "You're right. It's not wrong how I am feeling, but how I am choosing to react to it is wrong. I am better than this. My husband needs me. For whatever time I have left with him."

"There's my girl," Saphira said with a sad smile. "Now, come on. Let's join the others."

A door was opened and they walked into another room where the Millennium Stone was rested on a tablet in the center of the floor. Behind it, the wall had been carved with the Eye of Wdjat. Adais stepped up beside his mother and stared ahead at it. This was it. This was their final moment. It all came down to the sands of Egypt and the all-seeing eye.

"This sucks," Adais muttered. Aurora patted his hand.

Yugi walked with Ishizu to the Stone with his bag that held the Millennium Items. He looked over at Ishizu when she knelt beside him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"The ritual can now begin," Ishizu told him. "The Items must now be returned to the Stone they were created within. Once they are in place, the Pharaoh must speak his name aloud. This will open the door to the underworld. The Eye of Wdjat will then peer into Yugi's soul, allowing the Pharaoh's spirit to be removed from Yugi." She stood and faced Yugi. "If you accept the terms of this ritual, you may begin to place the Items into the stone."

Yugi nodded and looked at the stone. He placed the Millennium Eye first into the figure's forehead. He placed the Key and the Scale on it's chest. The Rod was placed into the figure's hand and the Necklace was placed over the figure's forehead above the Eye. The Ring was next and Yugi arranged the spikes carefully into each slot. He took a deep breath as he removed the Millennium Puzzle from his neck and gave it a good long look.

"To think it all comes down to this," he said softly. "My life was changed the day I put this Puzzle together. I made my wish and it came true in ways I would never have imagined. I have the best friends a guy could ever ask for." He looked up to see Joey, Tristan, Ryou, and Téa. He turned his head and smiled at Sanura and Zahara. "I got to meet family I didn't know I had." He looked at his father and grandmother and wiped a tear from his eye. "I got to meet my dad's family. My grandma." He looked down at the Puzzle. "And my other grandpa." He wiped at his eyes. "I didn't think I would ever want to give up the one treasure that gave me all I wanted. But it is because it gave me so much that I am ready to give it back." He turned back to the Millennium Stone and set the Puzzle into its place.

The Items all began to glow and waves of light began to flash around the stone. Yugi tilted his head up to the Eye and watched as the light from the Eye of Wdjat began to shine on Yugi.

"Is that what's supposed to be happening?" Joey asked.

It was Aurora who finally spoke this time. "The Eye is gazing deep within Yugi, searching for the spirit that dwells in his mind. The split should take place soon."

Yugi raised his arm and his shadow spread out behind him, separating into two distinct figures on the floor. Moments later, Yugi seemed to split in two and when the light faded, Atem and Yugi stood face to face in front of the Stone.

"No way," Mokuba breathed. He looked up at Sanura. "Is that really…"

She nodded. "Yes, Mokuba. That is my father," she answered with a smile.

Atem took a deep breath and looked around. "Thank you all for being here. It means a great deal to me. I know our journey has not been easy by any means, but the fact that you all have all played such a role in this, I have been honored to know each and every one of you." He stepped toward Adais and reached out to him.

"My son, you have grown into such a wonder. You have maintained the pride of our family and have been blessed with an amazing son. I couldn't be more proud of you. I know that you will continue to carry on our name."

"I wish I had more time with you," Adais told him in a tight voice. "I'm not ready to say goodbye. I have to, but I'm not ready."

"I know, believe me, I understand." He reached out and hugged his son. "I love you, Adais. Allow me to continue to live on through you, okay? Keep our family's dream alive."

"I will, Father," Adais promised, releasing his father and taking a step back.

Atem turned to Sanura and Seto and Mokuba. "Kaiba and I have always had our walls to climb while I have been here, but he is still a good man. He comes from an amazing family with whom I have always considered my dearest friends." He gave them each a smile and he reached out and took Sanura's hand. "No matter what the future holds, do right by each other and all will be blessed. I truly believe that."

"Thank you, Father," Sanura said before her voice choked off.

"Be good to her, Kaiba. That's all I really ask." Atem never got much of a response from the young CEO except for a grunt of acknowledgment. But he took his breath and continued on. "Zahara, your life holds many options ahead. No matter what you choose, know that I am proud of you."

She hugged him tightly and tried to resist the tears that had welled up and began to fall. "Oh, Father…" She pulled back and leaned into his hand as he brushed a few strands of hair away from her face.

Atem made it around to all his friends to say his goodbye. He stopped when he reached Aurora. They stared at each other. So many words and yet not enough time. He stepped closer and she lowered her head to his shoulder.

"Aurora… I don't even know where to begin…"

"I know, Atem. Believe me. I thought it was hard the first time…"

He held her tightly. "Aurora, I am glad that you are still here. As difficult as this is, I am grateful I am able to see you one last time. My best friend, the one who stood by me even centuries later. My heart never forgot you."

She sniffled and swallowed hard. "Atem, you have made such an impression on my heart, in my life. I am so proud of you. And I am honored to be able to say that I was, and still am, your wife. I will help our children continue to carry on your dream."

"I love you, Aurora..."

"Don't say it… Please don't say it…" She kissed him deeply, taking the last chance she had to do so. "I love you, Atem."

Atem gave her one last kiss before he turned to face Yugi. Yugi had fallen to his knees near the Stone and his tears flowed freely. Atem walked over to him and knelt down, smiling sympathetically as he placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder.  He gave a slight glance at Seto before he spoke.  "A friend once told me a champion doesn't belong on his knees, Yugi. You've come a long way from the night we first met. Stand up, Yugi. If I were you, I wouldn't cry."

"I only wish I was as strong as you," Yugi told him between sniffles. "I always followed your lead, just so I could be like you."

"Yugi," Atem started, helping him to stand. "You opened the door for me. You proved your strength. Thanks to you, Yugi, my spirit can finally be at rest. I will be where I belong. You see, fate brought us together for a reason, and we fulfilled that destiny."

Yugi looked up at him as the Pharaoh continued. "Together, we protected mankind from the return of the Shadow Games. We've both grown so much along the way. Your courage in accepting our destiny has led me to the right path. You saved me, Yugi."

"I'm sure going to miss you," Yugi told him, wiping the tears away from his face.

"We will never really be apart," Atem assured him. "The gift of kindness that you have given me and the gift of courage I have given you will always remain with us and forever bind us together."

Behind them, the Eye of Wdjat began to glow again. The Ritual was complete. The door to the spirit world was ready to be opened. Atem looked around him again. He drew a breath and began to make his way to the door.

"So this is it?" Téa asked.

Aurora nodded, her voice strained as she answered. "All he has left to do is to speak his name…"

Atem nodded and stood tall. "My name is Atem, son of King Aknamkanon!" The door slid open and the light shone from within it and fell upon Atem's face.

"Wait! No, please don't go!" Joey, Téa and Tristan raced passed Aurora and ran toward Atem. He stopped and turned toward them again.

"You don't have to go to that place," Tristan told him. "Don't go, You don't have to go…"

"Yes, he does," Sanura's voice cracked as she spoke. Seto gripped her hand tightly. She felt her legs trying to give on her and she leaned against him. "We may not want to say goodbye, but we have to let him go…"

"He's your father!" Téa argued.

"Which is why it hurts more for me to tell you to stop!" Sanura fired back, her tears slipping down her face. "You think this doesn't affect us? We have been living with this knowledge for years. We knew it would come to this. We never liked it, but we knew!"

"Easy, Sanu," Zahara told her, stepping up to help Seto calm her.

"I know that walking through that door means that he is finally free. I know that it's even for the best," Téa told them. "But it doesn't seem fair! We were all just getting to know him. Even his family was reconnecting again. He was just getting to know himself. And now he's being taken away from us. I know I should be happy for him, but it's hard when you are losing your best friend and you don't understand why it has to be that way."

Aurora whimpered and bowed her head. She was losing so much more than her best friend and she was not handling the battle of words too well, but she permitted Téa her outburst out of respect. They were all trying to handle their pain the best way that they could.

"That light…" Téa added, "Separates us for good. There's no coming back."

Joey gave a half-hearted shrug. "Maybe dere are some things dat we are just not meant ta understand. I go through half my life without understanding anyting," he said as he started to cry. "I know dat true friends may be hard to leave, but dey're impossible to forget. He might not get ta stay with us as long as we would have liked, but we were still lucky to have known him at all. He will always be in our memories. For now? We should just send him off, let him go to his future."

Atem nodded. "Thank you, Joey." he took another deep breath. "I'll never forget you all."

"And we won't forget you," Yugi told him with a wavering smile.

Atem gave him a thumbs up as he walked toward the light of the door. When his body was met with the light this time, he was changed into his pharaoh's clothing. As he walked, more and more of the royal court could be seen waiting for him. The door began to close and met with a loud, heavy thud.

Aurora stepped up to the door and placed a hand on it. "Atem…" She whispered. "One day we will meet again…" Her nerves went on high alert when the pillars began to shake and crumble.

"What's that?" Ryou asked.

"The Millennium Stone!" Yugi called out over the noise. He pointed as the Stone crumbled and dust began to stream from the Stone. The ground beneath it cracked and the Stone fell into the Earth, taking the Items with it. "The Items are gone!"

"So should we," Adais said, grabbing his son's hand and pulling him toward the exit. Everyone else following closely behind. Once safely outside, everyone gathered a fair distance away from the cavern and watched the dust settle.

"Now that the Pharaoh has returned to the next world, the Millennium Items have been permanently sealed," Ishizu told them. "Our duty as the Pharaoh's Tombkeepers is finally complete."

"So this is the end?" Tristan asked after a short time of silence. "It feels weird."

"What were you expecting?" Seto countered.

"Oh, I don't know," Joey said. "Fireworks, sappy music—something!"

Yugi smiled and looked up at his father. "Sometimes the end of one adventure is just the beginning of another," he said warmly. "One chapter may have ended, but we still have so much left to live."

"Very true," Aurora agreed tearfully as they all looked up into the sky.  "Very true."

* * *

 

 


	18. Fin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year has passed since that final, fateful day. It's the holidays and a special gift is waiting to be given to Yugi and the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or anything related to it what-so-ever. The only characters in this fic that are truly mine are:
> 
> Aurora Phoenix, Natara Merren, Saphira Rayan, Draxon Niklar, Braedon Sadane, Sanura, Zahara, Adais, Ohanze, Namir, Lord Renthis (all the characters beginning with Aurora are copyrighted to me- don't use them, don't claim them… they are mine legally…)

* * *

 

 _It's been nearly a year since Atem returned to the Spiritworld. Life has managed to move onward. With Atem at rest, Adais found it necessary to return with his son and begin to rebuild the connection he had lost from being gone so long. They would come for visits often_ _._ _I_ _t was nice to be able to enjoy time with my grandson for a change without having to have everything shrouded in mystery and danger all the time._

 _Zahara finished out her time with the school for that year. She had felt it only fair that she finish something that she had started. After school was done, she took over running a large portion of the dance club as a means of keeping herself busy. I cannot say that she ever really recovered from her trip to the_ _M_ _emory_ _W_ _orld. She and Ryou maintained a friendship, but her distance in a_ _romantic setting made it difficult for them to maintain an actual romantic relationship.  Zahara had begun to feel it was for the best that she just did not really connect on that level with anyone at this point in her life. She said she felt too lost and had to find herself before she could consider being there for anyone else._

 _Sanura continued to work as Seto's personal assistant. He made arrangements so that she and Mokuba went with him on all trips he had to make. It was his way of keeping up with all of them. Sanura's pregnancy managed to be a fairly easy one, though she still had to be careful. It was not long after the return from Egypt that Draxon had been able to confirm that she was, in fact, expecting twins; a son and daughter. Mokuba had been overjoyed at the thought, while Sanura and Seto seemed concerned and, perhaps, a bit nervous. But eight_ _months later,_ though the _delivery may have come early, little Set and Amunet joined our family.  It amazed me how the similarities to appearance were.  Little Set looked just like his father while Amunet took after her mother. Sanura and Seto are still finding a way to maintain the family._ _There have been whispered rumors of an engagement, but so far neither of them have confirmed anything of the sort._

 _Yugi and his friends graduated from school and I was glad to be there on his special day. Tears were shed that were bittersweet. They were happy school was done, but they knew that meant serious life changes for all of them._ _Téa went on to New York where she found her admission to the School of Dance to be accepted with the whole of heart. She still writes to Yugi from what my grandson tells me. She is doing very well in the States and enjoys her life's path very much._ _Tristan went on to work in a mechanic's shop for the most part. He always seems to be in good spirits when I have had the opportunity to see him around town._

 _I still see Joey on occasion in the dueling circuit because of my ties with Pegasus. His skills have greatly improved and he honestly has come very far. It was said he considered retiring after another year or two, but he is adjusting to his new life as husband to Mai Valentine. Their paths crossed during a tournament and instead of walking away, they continued to walk together instead._ _It has been good to see them both so happy. Mai occasionally comes by Industrial Illusions as a dueling spokeswoman for Pegasus when something new comes up. But as far as others, I have not been able to keep up with them all._

 _Yugi sought out Seto for help in creating a brand new game. It was a task that Seto was very excited to see come to pass. It also gave Sanura a chance to see her nephew a little more often as well, which became an added bonus. The game is expected to hit the shelves here soon. We are all very excited for him._ _There are times I have seen him become distant. As if lost in his mind. Before, it was because he was speaking with Atem. Now… I can feel his sadness. He misses his grandfather. Misses having him be a part of him as he once was. We all miss having him around._

_And then came the day I received a call I never expected to take. It was from Seto. He had come to the states and wanted to meet with me…._

* * *

**_1 year after saying goodbye_ **

Aurora stepped into the restaurant and was immediately escorted to the back of the room where she saw a tall, young man with short brown hair busy at work on his laptop. She stopped as the server announced her arrival and Seto looked up at her. Immediately, he stood and pulled a chair out for her to sit.

Aurora gave him a searching look as he clicked on a few keys on his laptop. "Another game system set to come out, Mr. Kaiba?"

He looked up with an odd gleam in his eyes. He shook his head and a sly grin curved his lips. "No, actually, I have called to meet you on a more personal matter to all of us."

Aurora frowned. "What are you talking about? Are the twins alright?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes, they are fine. But what I have found I wanted to keep as a surprise to Sanura until we have secured a few things."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Proposing to her?"

Seto choked on the drink of water he had just taken and his face turned red before he waved his hand and shook his head again. "Believe me, though, it is in the works." He looked up at her with another smile that she was not accustomed to seeing on his face. "I need everything to be just right for something that big," he elaborated to her as if they had been talking about it for years instead of just random comments here and there.

"What is going on, Seto?" Aurora pressed. "Are you striking a deal with Pegasus?"

"No, this is actually more related to you than it is him or anyone else." He turned his laptop around so she could see the screen and he watched as the blood drained from her face.

"This… this isn't funny," she said, shaking her head in denial.

"And I don't have a tendency to joke."

"How…?" Aurora stared at the screen feeling as though someone had just sucked the air right out of her. She looked up at him, her heart pounding in her ears. "Where?"

"Oddly enough, it was near the last place we were all together in Egypt."

"But that's impossible, it was destroyed, we were all there…"

"Please, as much as you all preached magic to me, now, you are going to try to deny what is right in front of you? How do you think I felt when my people alerted me to this? Three-Thousand-Years-Old, Miss. Aurora. How does this happen?"

Aurora's eyes stared back at the screen again. An image had been sent to Seto of a sarcophagus that had been found. One that should have been destroyed when the temple fell. The sarcophagus was in rough condition, but it was intact.  Another image showed the lid being lifted by scientists and archaeologists prepared to preserve what they believed was a centuries-old mummified Royal. What they found, however, was anything short of centuries-old looking. She struggled to catch her breath as her eyes locked on the perfectly preserved face of the man she watched leave their realm a year ago and enter the Afterlife.

"How… how can he look as if he is just asleep? As if he was never gone from us?" She looked up at him. "I don't understand. We all watched him walk into that light. We all said goodbye. His body should never have looked like this upon its reveal."

"That's what I thought. That's why I have kept this from Sanura for now. I felt you needed to see this and come with me. I think there is more to this than what we have seen. Perhaps, your doctor friend should come with us."

Aurora nodded. "I agree. When do you leave?"

"I am prepping a jet to leave in a few hours. We can be there by nightfall if not sooner."

"Give me just enough time to call Draxon and make him aware to grab a few of his things. We will be ready."

Seto nodded. "I'll send a limo to your hotel in three hours. We will depart soon after."

"Agreed. See you in three hours." Aurora stood and turned to leave. She stopped and took a deep breath before turning to look back at him. "Thank you."

He simply nodded and went back to work as she left the restaurant, her phone already in her hand as she hailed her own limo from Industrial Illusions. Her heart continued to pound hard in her chest and her breath came so fast, she felt her head become light.

"Draxon? Meet me at the hotel as soon as possible. And bring your bag, and maybe a change of clothes. We are going back to Egypt. I will explain when you get here."

* * *

Aurora paced the floor by her balcony window, lost in thought. She never heard Draxon open the door and throw his bag on the bed. She jumped when he reached out to stop her pacing and force her to look up at him.

"What is going on? Are you okay? Why are we going back to Egypt?"

"I don't know how okay I am," she told him honestly. "How is it possible for a Pharaoh, who was supposed to have been dead three thousand ago, to appear perfectly preserved as if he is merely sleeping in his sarcophagus?"

Draxon frowned. "What are you talking about, Aurora? It's not possible for that to happen." He placed his hand upon her forehead as if checking for a fever.

"I'm in shock, not feverish." She turned her phone over to him after pulling up an email Seto had sent her with the images he had shown her at the restaurant. She pointed to her phone. "Then tell me how this can be possible?"

Draxon's eyes snapped wide open and he looked from her to the phone and back to her again. "I-I can't explain that, Aurora. Unless…" He frowned. "Where is Rhenn's ring?"

"Atem was wearing it when he said goodbye. He was wearing it about midway through the battle with Bakura."

"He had it with him into the Afterlife?"

She nodded. "Yes. He never took it off."

"Those Powers never left him, did they?"

Aurora stilled. She looked up at him and blinked. "You can't be serious. You think…"

"It's possible. Rhenn's powers found a new host when he died before we crashed here to Earth. But those powers… we never saw them go anywhere after Atem was laid to rest. No one else has said anything about sensing them. Nothing. What if he really has just been sleeping all this time?"

"Like Sleeping Beauty?" She asked him incredulously.

He chuckled softly. "Well it is a bit past the hundred-year mark, but it's possible. The kind of magical fighting he had done before being sealed and then after being released takes a great deal of energy. Maybe he is just resting to fully recover. Maybe he doesn't know that he has a body and he is just dreaming the Afterlife."

"Maybe I am just losing my mind and just desperately wishing for a way that he could come back."

"How did you find this?"

"Seto's team found him. His resting place crumbled, but they found him. When he realized what they had found, he contacted me immediately and wants us to be there."

"Then let's get going."

"His limo will be here any moment."

Draxon nodded, picked up his bag and together, they made their way to the lobby to wait for their ride.

* * *

Aurora dabbed a handkerchief at her forehead. She may have, at one point, adapted to the heat in Egypt, but it had been some time since she had been there. A company car was waiting for them at the landing strip and Seto gave a nod of his head as they all approached. It had been a mostly silent trip. Occasional chats about what they might expect, and what would happen if Atem really was in some form of stasis.

Seto had come a long way in the year since Atem's passing. He had grown to at least acknowledge that some things could not be explained, even though he still struggled to accept magic and immortality on a whole. Still, trying to wrap his head around what he might have stumbled upon, was a bit more unsettling for him. It meant that he could do something really kind for the mother of his children, but it also meant his greatest rival would be back again.

Aurora watched him as he stared out the window. She wondered what he would do. If he would demand a challenge right then and there, or if he would let old grudges lie. What would her kids think? How would Atem function in this world on a permanent basis? Why was he not allowed to adhere to the typical sciences of this world like the other mummies? Why did he still look so young? She had grieved for his death a second time. She was still grieving. She would rather keep herself busy and active so that she might not have time to reflect on him. This was not something she was ready for or even understood.

"We're here," Seto told them as the car slowed to a stop. The door was opened for them and one by one they exited and gathered together beside the car until a man in a long white coat approached them.

"Mr. Kaiba, we are ready for you, sir."

They followed the scientist into a white tented area and an odd feeling washed over Aurora. She swallowed hard and tried not to miss a step as she followed behind the young CEO. She felt Draxon place a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and could see in his eyes the fear that was in hers.

 _What if we are wrong? What if we have come out here for nothing? What if I am just out here to identify a body..._ Draxon shook his head and nodded to keep moving.

She froze when they entered another room and caught sight of the sarcophagus. She knew the symbols. She knew the etchings. She knew the hieroglyphs all too well. She nodded to Seto at his questioning look.

"It's his, yes," she validated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Seto motioned to a small crew to lift the lid on the sarcophagus. They gathered around and groaned as they each took a section and heaved. Aurora and Draxon stepped around to the front. Tears flooded her eyes unexpectedly and her hand raised to her lips to try to mask the gasp that escaped her. She felt Draxon reach out and grab on to her arm, but wasn't sure if it was to steady her or himself.

"See what I mean?" Seto asked her softly.

She nodded and stepped forward. "I do," she breathed. "By the Gods… Atem…" She let her eyes trail over him in fearful awe. It was too much for her mind to process all at once. He had not been mummified at all. No wrappings, no jars. He was in one piece, perfectly preserved. "I am seeing this… But I am not believing this…" She looked up at Seto and Draxon. "I don't understand…" She tried to take a deep breath. "He was here all this time. We left him and he was here this whole time…"

Draxon mentally tried to push passed the fear, awe, and emotional reaction to what he was seeing. He stepped closer and reached out to take Atem's hands, studying them. One hand, he wore his wedding band. The other was what Draxon had been seeking. Rhenn's ring. "Somehow the Memory World connected to this world.  We thought his body lost because he was there with us, but we never thought to check his burial place after we returned.  We just accepted his goodbye."  He looked up at Aurora.  "I almost bet money on it, this is why he is so preserved," he murmured.  "The Power kept him contained.  Ready, just in case."

"But is he awake? Is he in a coma or stasis of some kind? Can he be brought back?" Seto asked.

"We … we might just be able to," Draxon told him, looking up at the CEO with dared hope.

"What do you need? Medical facility? More doctors?"

Draxon frowned in thought as he continued to stare down at Atem. He thought at first that Seto would be wanting to wake him for personal matters, but the sound of his voice…  He reached down and placed two fingers against Atem's throat.  He frowned thoughtfully.  "A private area where our friends and I can work.  A powerful energy has kept him sustained, but I don't know. It'll take some time and a lot of combined energy.  Even then, I don't know if it'll work. I don't want Sanura, Zahara, or Adais to know anything about this until we know for sure."

Seto nodded. "That's why I never told her about the reason for this trip. It's been under top secret clearance. Not even Mokuba knows because I know my little brother would tell her. He can't keep a secret from her to save his life. So top secret clearance meant me and me alone."

"They think is some game that's going to drag you away again, don't they?" Draxon asked with a slight grin.

Seto half-shrugged and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "What can I say; it's a believable story." He turned to the crew. "Okay, put the lid back on now so there is no risk of accidental harm coming to this body. Have it transported to my private vacation home. Use the back lab entrance." He turned to Aurora. "There is some paperwork that has to be signed by you as you were the caretaker to his tomb. This will grant me permission to remove what is found here legally. You and your friends may stay at the vacation home as long as you need to in order to do what you need to do." He watched her continue to stare at the encasement. "Let's hope this works." She looked up at him and he continued. "I really do want to see this work."

"I believe you," she told him softly.

* * *

**_2 years after Atem's passing_ **

Sanura watched as her son, Set, dug in the dirt at the playground and her daughter, Amunet, pulled at the grass just outside of the sandbox. She had met with her sister and brother there after their mother and her friends found themselves oddly scarce over the course of the last year. Zahara approached her with a yawn and stretched her neck.

"Gods, Sanu, why did it have to be so early? I didn't even get home until two in the morning. I've had like three hours of sleep and definitely not enough coffee for this," Zahara whined.

Adais handed her a cup of coffee as he walked passed her. "Drink this and stop complaining, at least you have been keeping busy."

"And like you haven't? I hear Grandpa Motou has you pretty busy in that shop of his."

Adais nodded. "He does. And frankly, I'm grateful for that." He turned to Sanura. "Now, however, I do believe something is off for Sanura to call us out like this."

"I'm tired, honestly," Sanura admitted.

"You need a babysitter?" Zahara asked.

She shook her head. "No, but for the last year, mother and the others have all been oddly quiet. Uncle Draxon is distracted.  Aunt Natara and Uncle Braedon are always busy.  Aunt Saphira is always off with mom, even Seto is almost always busy or distracted by something. Ever since he came back from Egypt last year…"

Adais frowned. "What was he doing in Egypt?"

Sanura shrugged. "I don't know. Apparently, only Seto has access to that file. Not even Mokuba is allowed access to it."

"That means, whatever it is, it's something big," Zahara mused. She frowned thoughtfully. "No one is talking?"

"No one, anywhere. Ishizu has no information, Marik has no clue, Odion was lost in a temple somewhere.  All Seto will tell me is it's the 'next big thing' and that we will all benefit from it. But he refuses to elaborate. Even more? He's locked down his private vacation home for the better part of the last year. The holidays are approaching and we still have no answers."

"Well… we might be about to have some," Adais corrected. "We might have to wait a little bit longer, but the answers might be on their way."

"What do you mean?"

"We all got invites to the big family holiday party. Maybe that's where whatever has been going on will be revealed. Mother bought that old mansion on the hill. I've heard rumors that Pegasus is opening an office for Industrial Illusions here near Domino which will allow Mother to be here more often instead of in the states all the time."

"Mother is making plans for a permanent place to live," Zahara said thoughtfully. "Something has happened. She's had her walls up to protect her thoughts. She's planning something."

Sanura nodded. "I think that you are right."

"And in about 2 more months, we will be able to know just what is going on."

* * *

**_2 months later_ **

Aurora finished wrapping the last of the gifts and tucked them under the tree. Natara and Saphira had stepped outside to help Draxon and Braedon add the last of the lights to the path that was lightly dusted with snow. They were gearing up for a party that was bound to be the best they had ever had. It was not just going to be a gathering for the holidays to them. There was something a whole lot more to this meeting. Aurora knew it had bothered her children that she had been distant so much in the last year, but she felt she did not have a choice. What she was working on, had to be done.

Two years had passed since everyone had last seen each other in the sands of Egypt. Two years since Yugi had last said goodbye to the spirit he had grown so close to while connected to the Millennium Puzzle. So many secrets had come out in that week. Aurora had marveled at Yugi's ability to handle the truth as it came crashing down. But she knew there was one thing he did not know. One thing he and so many had never been told.

She sighed happily as a pair of warm arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace. Turning, she found herself staring into a pair of crimson eyes. She never thought she would be able to see those eyes again.  It had taken the better part of near eight months of constant energy infusion between her and her friends once he was brought to the vacation home.  Her heart swelled when she remembered the night they all nearly gave up.  Each of them had met and placed a hand upon his body.  Their eyes closed, they chanted the words in their own native tongue.  They had worked until they had reached the point of exhaustion.  Aurora had felt a grim acceptance sink in her heart before she felt something ripple through him under her fingertips.  Her eyes opened and she continued to stare down at him.  When his eyes opened that first time...

He stared up at her, confused, lost.  It was as if he had not known who he was looking at.  But then he slowly sat up.  His eyes never left her.  When he said her name that first time, she broke and reached out, hugging him tightly, never wanting to let go while their friends cheered.  They had all wanted to make calls to all their other friends but it was Atem who asked them not to.  Not just yet.  He needed a bit more time to adjust and make ready for what would come.  So they let him set his date and they worked round the clock to help him make ready.  

Now, she reached up twirled a strand of his blond bangs around her finger as she admired the rest of the tri-colored head in front of her. The face was one she had once given up ever seeing again. But for some reason, the Fates stepped in and with Seto's help...

"Are you ready, Atem?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he murmured as he leaned in for a tender kiss. It felt so good for him to be able to do that.

Atem was still not sure what had happened. He had memories of his time within the Puzzle. He had memories of his time with Yugi and interacting with everyone. He remembered saying goodbye and the bright light. He had no idea how he woke up to find himself surrounded by tear-filled eyes and warm smiles of people he thought of as some of his best friends.

He spent the last year in the vacation home with Aurora and their group of friends. It was a long year of adapting to what had changed in the time he was in his coma-like state. He had to re-adapt to having a body of his own again and understanding food and regular care for himself. He felt confident that he was finally ready to be revealed to everyone. It was the only gift left that he wanted. Now they were only waiting for the limos to arrive.

"I think we finally have everything done outside," Braedon reported as he stomped snow off his boots.

"It smells so good in here," Natara breathed as she entered the house behind him and removed her gloves and jacket. "Is dinner almost ready?"

"Almost," Aurora answered. "Where are Draxon and Saphira?"

Braedon checked the window. "Outside still, in the middle of a snowball fight it seems," he commented as squeals of laughter could be heard.

"Is there anything thing I can help you with, my lady?"

Aurora turned toward the soft voice and smiled at the dark haired Egyptian woman standing not far from them. When they found that they were able to wake Atem from his coma-like state, Aurora called Ishizu to have her help with stabilizing him into the modern world. As true friends, Ishizu, Marik, and Odion made the first flight out to meet them. Just one more secret kept, but Seto's people helped to ensure the secret operation of theirs remained hidden. "Thank you, Ishizu, but I believe everything has been taken care of. Have Odion and Marik returned with the firewood?"

"Right here," Marik's voice answered behind his sister as they came from the back door. Atem left Aurora's side to help Odion start the fire in the fireplace. Already, the main room of the home was beginning to warm up.

"It's been a year and I still can't believe you were able to bring him back," Ishizu said softly as she stepped closer to Aurora.

Lapis blue eyes misted over a moment before Aurora turned to her friend. "It wasn't easy, but I am glad it worked. The past year has been a wonder in itself. He already knew so much about the modern world thanks to his time with Yugi. It was just a matter of getting him used to other changes. Like seeing snow on Christmas." The two women laughed quietly.

The wonderful smells of turkey and stuffing struck her senses as Aurora entered the kitchen. Natara removed the turkey from the oven. Immediately, Aurora went to work helping to get the stuffing removed and into a separate plate before turning to the hot, spiced apple cider that was ready to be served. She lifted the container and carried it into the living-room where Atem met her to take the heavy container from her.

"I see a limo," Saphira called out as she and Draxon finally made their way inside from their snowball fight. Aurora joined her friend and her smile brightened as a blonde head emerged from inside. The blonde stood a moment before turning and allowing a white-haired boy room to exit the vehicle.

"I see Zahara and Ryou managed to work out the whole evil spirit of the Ring thing to remain together after all?" Atem asked Aurora.

She shook her head slightly. "Not exactly, but they did manage to remain friends. Ryou has moved on with another young lady who was unable to be here tonight," she explained. She turned to him with apologetic eyes. "Now, however, you have to find somewhere else to be for a minute while everyone arrives or you will spoil the surprise." She smiled warmly as he kissed her once more and meandered away to the next room until he was called for.

Aurora opened the door as the bell chimed and offered her smile to her daughter, opening her arms to her. "Thank you for coming, Zahara. I know I haven't been around much and I do apologize. I just hope that my surprise will more than make up for it."

Zahara hugged her mother and arched an eyebrow. "It had better," she said in a mock angry tone. She lost her stern look and smiled. "I know that you wouldn't have gone away without a good reason. So I am looking forward to hearing it."

"In due time, I promise. As soon as everyone gets here." She ushered Zahara and Ryou inside. "Ryou, it is good to see you again as well," Aurora told the quiet boy beside her daughter. "I hope things are still going well for you."

"Very, actually, Thank you Miss. Aurora."

"Just Aurora, please."

Ryou laughed softly. "Aurora. My internship was accepted with the museum. I still have a knack for ancient items, I guess," he said with a slight shrug.

They were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell and Aurora opened the door to more of her family. Sanura and Seto stood on the front step, a child carried by each other them and Mokuba stood beside them, holding a few wrapped gifts in his arms. Aurora quickly opened the door wider for them so they could get out of the cold. Zahara reached out to take her niece from Seto and he reached into a small bag to pull out a bottle of wine he had brought along with them.

Aurora nodded in the direction of the other room. "Here, I'll show you to where you can put that for now." She told everyone in the room that she would return momentarily and led Seto to the room Atem was waiting in. She took a careful glance around to make sure no one else was looking as she opened the door to allow Seto entrance.

"He's here?"

"Kaiba."

Seto turned and straightened as he took in the sight of the ancient pharaoh dressed in a modern suit and tie. The range of facial expressions went from a series of "this can't be right" to "wow". He strode up to Atem and looked down at him. "Not exactly royal attire, but you've managed to fit in with the rest of the world. But what do you prefer to be called now? Pharaoh?"

The former Pharaoh shook his head. "That time is done for me. I'm just Atem, now. Thank you."

The two shook hands. Mutual respect, or just being civil for the holiday, Aurora was not sure which. She stepped up beside Atem. "If it wasn't for Seto's men finding you… I owe him so much."

"We both do." Atem looked up at Seto. "I can't even begin to express the gratitude I feel toward you for all you have done. If there is anything I can do-"

"Perhaps there is. See, I did actually have a personal matter to see you with you."

"Oh?"

"I was going to ask Miss. Aurora tonight, anyway, but I am grateful you could be returned. Not for me, but for Sanura."

"Is she alright?"

"Why does everyone automatically assume something is wrong?" Seto shook off is own question and took a breath. "Sanura has always been an important part to my life. Even more so now. She has never left my side, even when she probably should have. She's the perfect partner, not just in business, but in my life as well. She has given me such a blessing and I want to make her a more permanent part of my life." Seto opened his hand and a small box rested in his palm.

"Is this…" Aurora hesitated before taking the box and opening it to reveal a small but beautiful diamond set on a silver band. "Seto…"

"I wanted to do this according to custom and what is right. So I am asking for your blessing to have Sanura's hand in marriage."

"Of course, Kaiba," Atem told him earnestly. He chuckled as he watched Seto's face take on an unaccustomed look of shock to it. "Easier than you thought?"

"A little, yes."

Aurora smiled. "Welcome to the family, Seto." She tilted her head when she heard the outside door open again and began to recognize more voices. "Yugi and the others have arrived."

"Can I come out yet?" Atem asked her.

"Not just yet, but soon, love, I promise." She reached up and touched his cheek before leaving the room to greet the last of their guests.

"Wow, take a look at this place, you guys!" Tristan's voice could be heard from the front room.

"This is amazing," Mai said in awe as she joined him.

"I can't believe Miss. Kornari flew all of us out here for the holidays," Téa added as she entered after them.

"Hurry up, Yuge! I wanna get a closer look at dis place!"

"All right, Joey, I'm going!" Yugi told his friend with a laugh. His grandfather chuckled and climbed out behind him.

"Settle down, Brother, it isn't like it's going to up and run away on us."

"You never know, Serenity. After everything we've all been through, I learned anything is possible." It was only a moment later before they were all standing inside the mansion.

Aurora had been looking forward to this day. Her gift to Atem was to reunite him with the people he had grown to love and cherish during his time with Yugi. In a sense, it fulfilled her wish as well. Bringing family and friends together for such a joyous holiday. That was what the holiday meant to her. The gathering of friends and loved ones to share memories and laughter. The gifts meant nothing to her. Just knowing she was going to be able to reunite two people who held a bond as strong as hers was to Atem was enough to make her happy this day.

"Grandma?" Yugi's tentative voice asked.

"Yes, please come in and sit by the fire. We have been waiting for you. And we have a surprise."

Joey's head perked up. "A surprise?"

"Does it include food?" Tristan asked before getting slapped by Téa.

Aurora chuckled softly and held the door wider for them. "Food is in here," she told him. "But no, the surprise is much more than that." She caught the small hint of sadness in Yugi's eyes upon seeing her. She knew the memories seeing her must have given him. "Yugi, go into the living-room. The surprise is ready to be revealed." She followed behind him as he walked the short distance and through the door of the living room. There was a huge Christmas tree with silver and blue trimmings. Presents cluttered the floor around it. His eyes brightened as Marik waved to him and Ishizu smiled warmly. He saw Sanura and Mokuba playing with the twins. Zahara and his father were nearby. Adais saw him and came over to greet him with a hug.

"I'm glad that you made it."

"What's going on, Dad?"

"I don't know. I'm just as lost as you are. Your grandmother has been acting secretive for a while now."

A door opened and the room went silent. Seto exited and nodded behind him. He stepped out of the way and it was then that crimson eyes met amethyst. Tears filled both sets of eyes before smiles broke out and the two moved toward each other. Yugi crashed against Atem in a tight hug, his tears falling freely as they landed on their knees under his impact.

"It can't be. I watched you leave us. How? How can you be here?" Yugi asked, more questions filling his eyes.

Atem looked up at Aurora.  "Remember when I told you he would one day return?" Aurora asked Yugi. He nodded. "His job on earth was not yet done. He had his memories, but his task was not finished. He was found. And for the last year, our friends and I have been working with him. He finally felt ready to be seen by those most important to him."

"I had to return, Yugi," Atem told him with a grin. "Who else is going to make sure you stay out of trouble in college?" Yugi laughed and they stood. Atem looked at his son, then both of his daughters. "Adais. Zahara. Sanura." All three approached him and hugged him tightly. Sanura wiped at the tears in her eyes and looked over at Seto.

"Did you know about this?" She asked him. "Is this what you have been keeping from me?"

Seto stepped close to her and took her hand. "I had to, I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you if it didn't work. I didn't want you to go through that heartbreak again. I wanted to be sure that he was really able to return."

"You did this… for me?"

"For your family. And…" Seto shifted and got down on one knee, offering the ring box open for her to see the ring. "So I could properly ask for permission to ask for your hand in marriage. Sanura, will you continue to be a solid part of my life and honor me by accepting me as your husband?"

Sanura's eyes stung as she bent down to hug him. "Yes, Seto, a thousand times, yes." He stood and swept her off her feet, hugging her tightly as he spun her around. Mokuba cheered and even the twins clapped from where they sat by the tree. Everyone laughed as they watched the confusion on the little ones' faces. The room became alive with chatter and laughter. Tears of joy and excited squeals filled the home. Everything went as Aurora had hoped.

Aurora watched everyone that night all through dinner. Dinner rolls were hurled from one side of the table to another by Joey and Tristan as if they were little footballs. Jokes and stories were told. Memories were relived as the talked about their most difficult duels and some of the crazier ones they had been forced into. Later the presents were handed out and wrapping paper littered the floor while everyone marveled over their gifts. Atem reached out and pulled Aurora toward him.

"You are quiet. Is something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, nothing is wrong. For once we are all together. No one is out to destroy the world. No one is in danger of losing their soul. No one needs to find lost memories. We are all here. We are together, relaxed, and having fun. I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas."

"I agree," Atem said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Family and friends all gathered together. That is the true meaning of the Holiday Spirit." Everyone raised their glasses and the sound of them clinking together brought smiles as everyone agreed and cheered.

"It's good to have you back, Grandpa," Yugi said lightly.

"It is good to be back, Yugi."

"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Mai asked.

They all grew quiet a moment. Outside, the sound of Christmas carolers could be heard. They all stood and went to the door. Seto held his twins while Sanura squeezed Mokuba's hand. Ryou glanced over at Zahara and watched her sigh. He reached out and pulled her close in an amicable hug and this time, she did not resist him. Everyone else wrapped their arms around each other and began to sway back and forth to the song. They could not help but join in as the group finished their last.

_We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year_

"Merry Christmas everyone," Aurora said softly and their glasses were raised again.

"To family," Mokuba started.

"To friends," Atem added with a wink at Téa.

"This has to be the best Christmas ever," Yugi said. "Thank you Grandma and Kaiba for bringing us together again."

Both just smiled and nodded at him. The holiday was just the beginning as their lives were all set to start anew. The missing piece of their own personal puzzle had been found and their family was complete again. Nothing to hold them back or keep them apart. Aurora knew one thing more for certain.

Her world was finally at peace.

**Fin**

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just to let you all know, this last chapter had actually been a part of a Christmas challenge on Deviant Art. I had to change a few things to make it fit how the direction of this fic ended up going.
> 
> 10 years… It started 10 years ago and I have finally reached the end of the last chapter to the last part of the series.
> 
> The stories don't have to end here, though. I will still have shorts being posted to Wattpadd and Deviant Art as well as snippets of upcoming plots and notes on Patreon. So please be sure to find me there (under the same name as this site), and you will be able to see random little shorts of Zahara and Ryou, Sanura and Seto, Aurora and Atem. And don't forget that Aurora and her friends (as well as characters loosely based off of Atem) are also featured in their own book series called the Eudorian Chronicles. That will be announced when it reaches publication as well. And if you want to see sneak peeks or other behind the scenes of the Eudorian Chronicles, they will all be found on my account. I'm not going to stop writing. I do hope that some of you will continue to follow me on this journey of mine.
> 
> Thank you for allowing me to entertain you these last 10 years! You are the best! I do hope that you all enjoyed this. Hope to see you around!


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